CABOT -- Jarrod Barnes was the first in-state player to commit to Arkansas for the Class of 2017.
The Cabot quarterback and 2016 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps male athlete of the year stuck to his commitment and signed a national letter of intent with Arkansas on Wednesday in Cabot High School's media center.
Barnes, the No. 7 player in the state according to ESPN.com, announced his pledge to Arkansas on Feb. 18.
"Now that it's official, official, it makes you feel good," Barnes said. "I'm ready to step up to the next level and see what I can do."
Barnes, 5-11, 172 pounds, will play wide receiver for the Razorbacks instead of quarterback. He's the second Cabot football player during Coach Mike Malham's tenure -- which dates to 1981 -- to sign with Arkansas, joining offensive lineman Ray Straschinske. Straschinske signed in 1989 and was a four-year letterman in 1990-1993.
"It is a big deal," Malham said of the Razorbacks signing another Cabot recruit.
Barnes' mother Gretchen said it's been a lifelong dream for her son to be a Razorback.
"It's super exciting," Gretchen Barnes said. "I'm full of pride. Jarrod has worked his butt off. He's wanted this since he was four years old. It's nice to see hard work pay off because he's worked for it."
In Cabot's Dead-T offense, Barnes flourished as one of the state's top dual threats and was a first-team All-Arkansas Preps all-purpose player. He rushed for 844 yards and 14 touchdowns and passed for 697 yards and 5 touchdowns as the Panthers advanced to the Class 7A second round last season.
"He made things easy," Malham said. "He could do things that we've never had anybody do before. He's by far the best athlete we've ever had since I've been here."
Barnes' athleticism impressed Arkansas coaches, Malham said. He is currently playing basketball for the Panthers and will compete in track and field this spring. Last March, Barnes scored 14 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to help Cabot defeat Malik Monk and Bentonville in the Class 7A boys basketball state championship game.
Monk is now playing at Kentucky.
Arkansas coaches have told Barnes that he may play special teams in addition to wide receiver. Malham said Wednesday that Barnes could play as a true freshman because of the Razorbacks' losses at wide receiver, with Drew Morgan, Keon Hatcher and Dominique Reed all exhausting their eligibility.
Barnes is the latest athlete from Cabot to head to Fayetteville.
Pole vaulter Lexi Weeks was an NCAA national indoors and outdoors champion during her freshman season in 2016 and qualified for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Her sister Tori was a first-team NCAA indoor All-American and a second-team outdoor All-American last year.
"It's an exciting time," Malham said. "You have an Olympian and that doesn't happen every often. It makes it fun."
Sports on 02/02/2017