To say the state of Montana is one that Arkansas typically doesn’t recruit is underselling it. Since 2002, only two Razorback offers have been extended to the state bordering Washington and Canada.
Both of those offers came from Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, one in 2010 from when he was the Razorbacks' head coach and one in the class of 2026.
That 2026 quarterback — Jackson Presley — was on Arkansas’ campus for a visit Wednesday and Thursday and had good things to say about his time in Fayetteville.
"It was amazing," Presley said after his visit. "Got to see amazing facilities, great hospitality. I definitely can see myself playing here."
Petrino himself hails from Lewistown, Montana, specifically and has kept a close eye on talent in his home state that could make a difference.
The connection the two share to their home state is something Presley said brings a "home vibe" to Arkansas.
"It's pretty special when you got a guy like coach Petrino from the same town you're from," Presley said. "It's very, very special."
So far, Presley holds offers from several schools including Missouri, West Virginia, Texas A&M, Florida State and others in addition to Arkansas. He's also taken visits to Tennessee and Alabama recently. The people at Arkansas, though, are what set them apart.
"Everyone seems to be in a tight brotherhood," Presley said. "All the coaches care for their players and the players care for their coaches and town. And the town loves their football."
Petrino isn't the only connection Presley has to Arkansas. His father, Brian, was a walk-on for one year at Arkansas in 1996 under then-head coach Danny Ford.
"He shared his time (at Arkansas), and that's definitely another cool aspect," Presley said. "Possibly coming here with everything that he went through, that's a special aspect, too."
As a sophomore, Presley led Glacier High School to a 10-2 record. He threw for 3,053 yards and 28 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
Even as a 5.6 three-star quarterback, Presley is the third-highest rated recruit from the state of Montana since 2002, the same year that Rivals first started tracking rankings.
The competition level in Montana is not as great as it is in other places like Texas, Georgia or Florida, but Presley said that gives him a chip on his shoulder to prove he belongs at the next level.
"Coming from a place that's not really highly-recruited, I'm definitely looking to prove that I'm one of the best," Presley said. "And I'm excited to do that over these next two years."
A source had indicated to HawgBeat that the schools Presley is considering the most right now are Arkansas, Missouri and West Virginia, and he'd like to wrap up his recruiting process before heading into his junior season.
You can view Presley's junior season highlights in the video below:
Both of those offers came from Arkansas offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, one in 2010 from when he was the Razorbacks' head coach and one in the class of 2026.
That 2026 quarterback — Jackson Presley — was on Arkansas’ campus for a visit Wednesday and Thursday and had good things to say about his time in Fayetteville.
"It was amazing," Presley said after his visit. "Got to see amazing facilities, great hospitality. I definitely can see myself playing here."
Petrino himself hails from Lewistown, Montana, specifically and has kept a close eye on talent in his home state that could make a difference.
The connection the two share to their home state is something Presley said brings a "home vibe" to Arkansas.
"It's pretty special when you got a guy like coach Petrino from the same town you're from," Presley said. "It's very, very special."
So far, Presley holds offers from several schools including Missouri, West Virginia, Texas A&M, Florida State and others in addition to Arkansas. He's also taken visits to Tennessee and Alabama recently. The people at Arkansas, though, are what set them apart.
"Everyone seems to be in a tight brotherhood," Presley said. "All the coaches care for their players and the players care for their coaches and town. And the town loves their football."
Petrino isn't the only connection Presley has to Arkansas. His father, Brian, was a walk-on for one year at Arkansas in 1996 under then-head coach Danny Ford.
"He shared his time (at Arkansas), and that's definitely another cool aspect," Presley said. "Possibly coming here with everything that he went through, that's a special aspect, too."
As a sophomore, Presley led Glacier High School to a 10-2 record. He threw for 3,053 yards and 28 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
Even as a 5.6 three-star quarterback, Presley is the third-highest rated recruit from the state of Montana since 2002, the same year that Rivals first started tracking rankings.
The competition level in Montana is not as great as it is in other places like Texas, Georgia or Florida, but Presley said that gives him a chip on his shoulder to prove he belongs at the next level.
"Coming from a place that's not really highly-recruited, I'm definitely looking to prove that I'm one of the best," Presley said. "And I'm excited to do that over these next two years."
A source had indicated to HawgBeat that the schools Presley is considering the most right now are Arkansas, Missouri and West Virginia, and he'd like to wrap up his recruiting process before heading into his junior season.
You can view Presley's junior season highlights in the video below:
