The Recruiting Guy

4-star LB ready to visit Arkansas again

2023 4-star LB Troy Ford Jr.
2023 4-star LB Troy Ford Jr.

Four-star linebacker Troy Ford Jr. felt wanted during his visit to Arkansas last Saturday while connecting with coach Sam Pittman and linebackers coach Michael Scherer.

“Really felt the love,” Ford said. “Coach Pittman is really down to earth. I really enjoyed my time with Coach Scherer; I feel like we really hit it off. 

"The campus and town is really nice. I met with almost every coach, which meant a lot and we spent a lot of time talking and going over their defense and how they play. I know I will play a lot here, for sure. I can’t wait to get back. I really appreciate everything.” 

Ford, 6-2, 225 pounds, of Savannah (Ga.) Calvary Day School has offers from Arkansas, Notre Dame, Auburn, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, South Carolina, West Virginia and others. 

He helped lead the Cavaliers to a 12-1 record by having 51 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 13 quarterback hurries, 4 pass breakups and 2 recovered fumbles as a junior. He played sparingly in several games because of lopsided scores. 

National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network rates Ford a 4-star recruit. 

“Outstanding linebacker, very mature, tough, strong,” Lemming said. “He’s a captain type and will be one of the nominations this summer for the Butkus Award.”

Ford has visited Georgia, Alabama, Clemson, South Carolina, and Auburn, and has visits scheduled at South Carolina, Central Florida, West Virginia and Auburn. 

His teammate, sophomore tight end Michael Smith, also visited the Razorbacks last weekend. Smith is an Arkansas target. 

Scherer was a hit with Ford and his father. 

“He is just great overall. We spent a lot of time together with the group and private,” Ford said. “I like the way he plays his defense and I feel like I could just really get even better than I am now under him. They really impressed my dad, too, so that really means a lot.

“Also, I like the way he coaches, in general. He said something about wanting his players to miss football so they would play good. I really liked that.”


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