The Recruiting Guy

Hogs' freshman RB fortifies connection with recruit

Arkansas assistant coach Reggie Mitchell speaks to his players Tuesday, March 29, 2016, during practice at the university's practice field on campus in Fayetteville.
Arkansas assistant coach Reggie Mitchell speaks to his players Tuesday, March 29, 2016, during practice at the university's practice field on campus in Fayetteville.

It's often said a school's best recruiter is one of the players attending that particular college.

Highly recruited running back DeMarcus Townsend has known University of Arkansas, Fayetteville freshman running back Maleek Williams since the ninth grade, which has heightened Townsend's interest in the Hogs.

Townsend, 6-0, 204 pounds of Naples (Fla.) Palmetto Ridge received a scholarship offer from the Hogs on signing day in February. He has 14 other offers from Virginia Tech, Tennessee, UCLA, Baylor, Purdue and others.

Williams has talked up his experience in Fayetteville and his relationship with running backs coach Reggie Mitchell.

"I've been in contact with Maleek Williams," Townsend said. "He's saying how great it is up there and just being 100 percent honest with me and talking about how great of a coach coach Mitchell is and how great the program is up there."

Townsend recorded one of the better Nike football ratings in the nation last year after running 4.40 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 4.14 in the pro agility. He also registered a 43.3-inch vertical and a 39-foot power ball toss for a rating of 132.39.

Mitchell visited his school about two weeks ago.

"We had a pretty strong conversation off of that," Townsend said. "We've been talking for the last week or so."

National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Townsend a four-star prospect.

"He has very good vision, balance and burst," Lemming said. "He's one of the top running back prospects in South Florida."

Williams boasted about Mitchell to Townsend.

"He was saying how coach Mitchell stays on them and guides them instead of just letting him do his own thing and keeps him on the right track in life, with grades and especially football," Townsend said.

Because he respects Williams so much, Townsend said his positive words about the Razorbacks carry weight.

"Definitely, because just knowing him as a person," Townsend said. "He has great character and everybody respects him because they know him by his personality, not just football."

Townsend, who has a 3.0 grade-point average, rushed for 729 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. He and his parents have been discussing a trip to Fayetteville.

"We're thinking in late June," he said.

Tennessee, Utah, UCLA and Baylor are also on his visit list this summer. He plans to announce his college decision in mid to late summer.

He said Mitchell has praised his ability.

"He was saying I have the tools, and he will sharpen them," Townsend said. "He said I would just have to earn it."

Hogs target DE

Defensive end John Mincey is one of the more physically gifted defensive ends in the nation and is a big target of the Razorbacks.

Mincey, 6-4, 255, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Homerville (Ga.) Clinch County received a scholarship offer from the Hogs on May 12. He has close to 20 scholarship offers from schools such as Auburn, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Washington State and Oregon State.

He has plans to visit Fayetteville soon.

"The middle of June, that's the plan," Mincey said.

Hog defensive line coach John Scott Jr. recently visited his school.

"He said he thinks I would be a good defensive end in the 3-4 defense," Mincey said. "I would like to visit because I think coach Scott is a good coach. He seems like a good person, and he told me he would teach me the moves to help me possibly go to the next level."

CBS Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming has traveled to Homerville to see him and junior linebacker Trezman Marshall, who also has an offer from the Hogs.

"Mincey is one of the top three prospects in south Georgia," Lemming said. "I've been to Clinch County three times in the past two years to see him and Trezman. Both are four-star prospects."

Clinch County linebackers coach Rance Morgan said Mincey is a special talent.

"He runs like a 4.7," Morgan said. "He's really explosive with his first step, and he's a super strong guy. Like today he power cleaned 290 or 295 in the weight room."

Mincey is planning to make his college decision this summer.

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com.

Sports on 05/30/2017

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