Arkansas isn’t afraid to be the first school to offer a prospect only to see other schools follow.
Junior running back LJ Johnson Jr. is a prime example. The Razorbacks offered him on March 29 and 15 other schools have done the same since.
Being the first school to offer the highly touted running back helped encourage him to visit Arkansas for the Fall Kickoff Cookout, which starts at 4 p.m. today.
“They were my first offer and they have some big time names at the running back position,” Johnson said. “It’s huge to me. They will always be a school I have interest in.”
Johnson, 5-10, 204 pounds, of Cypress (Texas) Cy-Fair, also has offers from Alabama, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma, LSU, Michigan and others. He’ll be on a fact-finding mission while in Fayetteville.
“I’m really just expecting to experience a great time with all the coaches and players to get to know each better and enjoy seeing everything around campus for the first time,” Johnson said.
At the Houston Opening Regional in March, Johnson carded a rating of 112.11. He recorded 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash, a 34.2-inch vertical, 4.26 pro-agility time and a 36-foot power ball throw.
He rushed 164 times for 1,139 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2018 and was named the District 17-6A Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore.
Johnson isn’t favoring a particular school early in the recruiting process.
“Right now everyone stands the same with me,” Johnson said.