HOG FUTURES SAM MBAKE

Receiver making smooth transition

An Arkansas football helmet is shown on a trunk on Friday, Nov. 26 2021, during the second half of play at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
An Arkansas football helmet is shown on a trunk on Friday, Nov. 26 2021, during the second half of play at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

When receiver Sam Mbake reported to the University of Arkansas for the first summer school session, he was well prepared for what he was about to encounter.

Mbake comes to Fayetteville from a North Cobb High School program in Kennesaw, Ga. that's produced ready-made SEC talent like former Auburn linebacker Chandler Wooten and 2022 Tennessee defensive end signee Joshua Josephs.

North Cobb Coach Shane Queen said the athletes at the school are ready for the next level because of the Warriors' offseason program.

"What we do in the weight room I think separates our players and prepares them," Queen said. "What our players go through in the offseason and the weight room I really think it prepares them for the SEC."

Mbake, 6-3, 200 pounds, signed with Arkansas over Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida State, Florida, Colorado, Miami, LSU, Penn State, Southern Cal and others.

He said the transition from North Cobb to Arkansas has gone well.

"I've adjusted pretty smoothly with the workouts and everything," Mbake said. "At first, it was like a little rough the first week, and ever since then I've been like killing the workouts. I've been doing well with all the football drills and receivers stuff. I've been really good with my hands and I've been focusing on my routes."

He has a high amount of confidence in Arkansas strength and conditioning coach Jamil Walker.

"I actually think he's the best strength coach in America," Mbake said. "Just the way he puts his work and effort into us, like his pride into it. He really cares about the weight room and conditioning. He lives for that. When you get a coach that's up here like 24/7, dedicated the way he is, makes you want to be better as a player."

Mbake knew Walker from Georgia, where he was the associate strength and conditioning coach for the Bulldogs for three years.

The word "strain" is a favorite of college coaches when preaching maximum effort while finishing a play.

"His biggest thing is straining us," Mbake said of Walker. "Of course we're going to break down because that's how workouts are suppose to be. The ultimate idea of the workouts is to strain all of our muscles so we get stronger every day."

Mbake had 54 catches for 473 yards and 5 touchdowns as a junior and 22 catches for 378 yards and 4 touchdowns as a senior.

He was rated a 4-star prospect by two of the four major recruiting services along with CBS Sports Network national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, who also rates him a 4-star recruit.

He made an unofficial visit to Arkansas for the Auburn game Oct. 16 and an official visit Dec. 3-5 before inking with the Hogs on Dec. 15, the first day of the early signing period.

Queen sees Mbake, who played in the 2022 All-American Bowl in San Antonio, as a fit for offensive coordinator Kendal Briles' offense.

"He's a physical specimen," Queen said. "He's a guy that can stretch the field vertically, and he's also somebody [who] doesn't mind blocking in the run game and the quick screen game."

Mbake shows leadership by his actions, Queen said.

"He's a leader by example on the field," the coach said. "He practices hard, he lifts hard. He does [a] great job in the weight room."

As a senior, Mbake played his senior season between 210-215 pounds, but he's much less now.

"Now I'm like between 195-200," he said. "The benefit I see from that [is] I'm just so much more quicker. The receiver I am now is almost like the receiver I was my sophomore year. If you watch my film from then, I just feel that much more quicker, much more fluid. I feel more explosive."

The recruiting process can sometimes give a false impression of life as a student-athlete. Mbake said what he experienced from Arkansas during the recruiting process is what he sees now on campus.

"It's exactly what I expected," Mbake said. "That's why I really like Arkansas because they have really been some truthful people from all the way for me coming up here and for them coming all the way to Georgia to come to my house."

Mbake, who praised receivers coach Kenny Guiton's recruitment of him, said he's been welcomed since his arrival to Fayetteville.

"My favorite thing about being a Razorback is the family atmosphere," Mbake said. "I went to a lot of other colleges and even on the visits, I could tell like these guys are not all connected for real. So far, since I've been here, all the teammates and all the other guys, all the vets have been taking me under their wings because I've seen it at other schools where the older players don't care too much for the younger players, but it's different here at Arkansas. They really preach family and they actually live it."

The Hogs have the commitment of Mbake's former teammate and ESPN 4-star quarterback Malachi Singleton for the 2023 class. Mbake believes Singleton needs to be ready to play as a freshman.

"That's like my little brother," Mbake said. "I keep telling him everyday I need you working because with KJ [Jefferson] leaving next year, I want him coming in and competing because he has real good potential."

Mbake, who's roommates with freshman receiver Isaiah Sategna and defensive lineman Nico Davillier, is also recruiting another teammate to Fayetteville. Junior athlete David Eziomume is a highly recruited prospect who visited the Razorbacks in June along with Singleton.

"We're working on him, he's going to be the real hard one to get out of the group because I know he's going to turn up this season," Mbake said. "But he knows where home is at so I feel like we're going to be one of his top schools when it comes down to it."

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Mbake at a glance

HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-3, 200 pounds

HOMETOWN Kennesaw, Ga.

HIGH SCHOOL North Cobb

BIRTHDATE December 11, 2003 (18 years old)

NOTEWORTHY 247sports, on3.com, Tom Lemming 4-star recruit … One of three receiver signees rated a 4-star prospect … Selected to the 2022 All-American Bowl in San Antonio … Chose Hogs over offers from Ole Miss, LSU, Penn State, Florida State, Florida, Colorado, Miami, Southern Cal and others.

 


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