FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas signed 19 high school football players Wednesday on the first day of the early national signing period.
The Razorbacks’ class was ranked 21st nationally by 247Sports late Wednesday, and ninth among SEC teams behind Alabama (1), Georgia (2), LSU (6), Tennessee (10), Florida (12), Texas A&M (14), South Carolina (16) and Auburn (19).
Future SEC teams Texas (3) and Oklahoma (8) also signed top-flight classes consisting of players who will compete in the league by their junior seasons if they remain with those programs.
Rivals ranked Arkansas' class 18th overall and eighth in the SEC, and ESPN ranked the class 21st overall and eighth in the SEC. The Rivals ranking is the Razorbacks' highest since 2009.
"With what's going on right now, I'm real pleased with where we are," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said, alluding to high roster turnover and recent changes to his coaching staff. "I'm really ready to attack this (transfer) portal. We know exactly what we need to change our football team. Arkansas has a wonderful name out there and we have scholarships available."
VIDEO: Pittman discusses early signing class
Arkansas’ class is headlined by seven 4-star players in the 247Sports rankings — cornerback Jaylon Braxton of Frisco, Texas; tight end Luke Hasz of Bixby, Okla.; running back Isaiah Augustave of Naples, Fla.; offensive lineman Luke Brown of Paris, Tenn.; quarterback Malachi Singleton of Kennesaw, Ga.; receiver Davion Dozier of Moody, Ala.; and defensive end Quincy Rhodes of North Little Rock.
All other players in the class are rated 3-star recruits by 247Sports.
"I'm really excited about the guys we have coming in," Pittman said. "We still have another guy or two that we're on in high school, and the rest of our scholarships will be used in the transfer portal."
Braxton and Hasz are rated among 247Sports’ top 200 recruits, and rank 15th and 10th, respectively, at their positions. Hasz was also recruited by Alabama and hosted Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban for an in-home visit Dec. 8.
Hasz will be joined at Arkansas by his twin brother Dylan, a 3-star safety who also signed Wednesday.
Another 4-star commit to the Razorbacks, tight end Shamar Easter of Ashdown, is not expected to sign until the late signing period in February. Easter recently took an official visit to South Carolina, where his lead recruiter at Arkansas, Dowell Loggains, was hired earlier this month as offensive coordinator.
The Razorbacks have also added a pair of former 4-star high school recruits as transfers — quarterback Jacolby Criswell, a Morrilton native, from North Carolina and offensive tackle Josh Braun from Florida. Pittman said he previously recruited both players out of high school.
They are among four transfers signed by Arkansas, alongside former Pittsburgh defensive end John Morgan and receiver Andrew Armstrong from Division II Texas A&M-Commerce.
Pittman said 16 of the 23 signees will enroll for the spring semester, which will allow them to participate in spring practice.
Transfers do not count toward the rankings of signing classes. The Razorbacks are expected to sign several more transfers during the offseason to replenish a roster that has been spread thin in recent weeks by players opting to transfer elsewhere. Pittman said he hopes to host between six and 12 transfers during a Jan. 4-8 window.
"We have some scholarships available and certainly we feel like we can change the depth and the team in that period," Pittman said.
Arkansas’ class is heavy on out-of-state recruits. Rhodes and Bentonville offensive lineman Joey Su’a are the only signees from in-state high school seniors, and Easter would make three.
Texas, with five signees, is the state most heavily represented in this year’s signing class, followed Georgia and Alabama with three players apiece. Nine states are represented overall.
The Razorbacks’ class would have ranked higher if not for some recruits who changed their verbal commitments last weekend. Tight end Jaden Hamm committed to Kansas, defensive lineman Stephen Johnson committed to Auburn and receiver Micah Tease committed to Texas A&M. Hamm and Tease are 4-star recruits, and Johnson is a 3-star recruit.
High School Signees
Isaiah Augustave, RB, 6-2, 195, Naples, Fla.
Jaylon Braxton, CB, 5-11, 170, Frisco (Lone Star), Texas
Luke Brown, OL, 6-5, 315, Paris (Harris County), Tenn.
Carson Dean, DE, 6-4, 235, Carrolton (Hebron), Texas
Davion Dozier, WR, 6-3, 195, Moody, Ala.
Christian Ford, S, 6-0, 185, McKinney, Texas
Ian Geffrard, OL, 6-6, 350, Mableton (Whitefield Academy), Ga.
Dylan Hasz, S, 5-11, 180, Bixby, Okla.
Luke Hasz, TE, 6-3, 245, Bixby, Okla.
Kaleb James, DL, 6-4, 250, Mansfield, Texas
RJ Johnson, ATH, 6-1, 175, McDonough (Eagles Landing Christian Academy), Ga.
TJ Metcalf, S, 6-1, 185, Pinson Valley, Ala.
Paris Patterson, OL, 6-6, 345, East St. Louis, Ill.
Quincy Rhodes, DE, 6-7, 255, North Little Rock
Alex Sanford, LB, 6-3, 240, Oxford, Miss.
Malachi Singleton, QB, 6-1, 225, Kennesaw (North Cobb), Ga.
Brad Spence, DE, 6-2, 225, Houston (Klein Forest)
Joey Su’a, OL, 6-4, 320, Bentonville
Dallas Young, CB, 5-11, 185, Gardendale, Ala.
Transfers
Andrew Armstrong, WR, 6-4, 189, Dallas (Texas A&M-Commerce)
Josh Braun, OT, 6-6, 335, Live Oak, Fla. (Florida)
Jacolby Criswell, QB, 6-1, 225, Morrilton (North Carolina)
John Morgan, DE, 6-2, 265, Upper Marlboro, Md. (Pittsburgh)