Two University of Arkansas football targets from Texas, 2025 linebacker Ke'Breion Winston and 2026 offensive lineman Zedan Krempin are among a large group of prospects expected to visit for the Red-White spring game to be held Saturday in Fayetteville.
Winston, 6-1, 203 pounds, of Lancaster, Texas, will be making his second trip to Fayetteville after visiting the Hogs on Jan. 27 and receiving a scholarship offer March 26.
He recalled his first visit that involved a meeting with Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman and defensive coordinator Travis Williams.
"I had a meeting with Coach Pittman. It was pretty nice talking to him with my family," Winston said. "Seeing Coach T-Will again was good. [Pittman] just seems like a genuine person. He really cares. He really wants me to come play for him. "
Winston has yet to be rated by the four major recruiting services. He said his bond with Williams is special.
"That's my guy," Winston said. "He loves when I come out there. He was real excited. The staff said he was about to throw like a birthday party when he knew I was coming down there."
When Williams was a senior linebacker at Auburn in 2005, he was measured 6-1 and weighed 209 pounds, similar to Winston's current size.
"He said he's always looking for guys like me because when he first started recruiting me I was kind of undersized, but I kind of reminded me of himself when he played," Winston said.
Winston has 19 other scholarship offers from Arizona State, Kansas State, Kansas, Baylor, California, Boston College, California , SMU, Central Florida and others.
A Dallas Morning News All-Area first-team selection as a junior, Winston said Williams is recruiting him to play Will linebacker at Arkansas.
Winston said he appreciated assistant linebackers coach/senior defensive analyst Jake Trump making him feel at home during his first trip.
"I was sitting with the team in meetings and he just kind of walked me through," he said. "He kind of held my hand and talked about the defense."
He said the Hogs are a top contender for him.
"They're a top school for me," he said. "It's my first SEC school, so that's big."
He plans to officially visit Baylor and Arizona State along with Arkansas.
"I actually set up an official visit June 21st through the 23rd," Winston said of Arkansas.
Winston plans to graduate early and enroll at his school of choice in January.
"I want to go into the season committed, so I don't have to worry about it," said Winston, who has a 3.8 grade-point average.
Krempin, who is rated as a 4-star recruit by Rivals, used two words to describe why wants to visit Arkansas on Saturday: Eric Mateos.
Mateos, Arkansas' offensive line coach, spent three seasons at Baylor befire making his way to Fayetteville. He was a graduate assistant at Arkansas from 2013-2015.
"He's like one of the first O-line coaches that talked to me," Krempin said. "He talked to me in the summer going into ninth grade. He was super cool at Baylor. I really liked him and now he's at Arkansas.
"He's a guy I'm very interested in being coached by and I just want to go see Arkansas because I went to a game last year and saw Mississippi State. ... I liked it, but I didn't really gets to see everything."
Krempin, 6-5, 265 pounds, of Prosper, Texas, has 26 scholarship offers in the early stages for his recruitment with some of the offers being Arkansas, Oklahoma, LSU, Southern Cal, Ole Miss, Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee, Oregon and Penn State.
He said he appreciates Mateo's focus on family.
"He asks about my brother and how my mom and dad are doing," Krempin said. "My brother is a boxer and he always asks how the boxing is going. He wants to get close to you family wise and wants to get close to [you] as a person and who you are."
When asked what else makes him want to visit Arkansas, Krempin again said Mateos.
"To be honest with you, it's Coach Mateos," he said. "He's a really good guy. I like how Arkansas isn't too far away. It's reasonable for my family. I want to try and stay close to home."
Krempin, who has 3.9 grade-point average, has visited Texas A&M, Oklahoma since January and has plans to visit TCU and SMU after Arkansas.
E-ail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Zaden Krempin highlights
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Ke'Breion Winston highlights
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Ke’Breion Winston
Zedan Krempin