Arkansas is just over a month away from kicking off the 2024 football season, one filled to the brim with top-tier teams, elite coaches and superb players.
The Razorbacks will rarely catch a break when they take the field on Saturdays, as they once again sport one of the toughest schedules in the country according to ESPN's Football Power Index.
With the usually tough SEC gauntlet and a non-conference matchup against Big 12 contender Oklahoma State, the Hogs will have their work cut out against the premier talent in the nation.
Looking to familiarize yourself with the best athletes the Razorbacks will face in 2024? HawgBeat has you covered with its attempt at an All-Opponent Team, along with stats, notable nuggets and more...
Quarterback — Quinn Ewers (Texas)
A handful of quarterbacks were in contention for the top of this list, as Ewers, Tennessee's Nico Iamaleava, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Missouri's Brady Cook all have traits worthy of All-Opponent recognition.
In the end, Ewers' outstanding 2023 season — a 12-game, 22-touchdown, 3,479-yard escapade that saw the now-junior complete 69.0% of his throws — and the weapons currently surrounding the former No. 1 high school prospect give him the edge.
The Davey O'Brien and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award semifinalist had seven multi-touchdown games, including a four-score, 452-yard performance against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship.
Ewers also had great ball security, as he was only intercepted six times in 394 pass attempts during the 2023 season. The most Ewers threw in a single game was two against Oklahoma, and he still managed to complete 31-of-37 passes (83.8%) against the Sooners.
Led by safety Hudson Clark and cornerback Jaylon Braxton, Arkansas' secondary will need transfers and young guns to step up if it wants to keep Ewers from tossing to talented pass catchers like Johntay Cook II, Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond and Amari Niblack this November.
Running Back — Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State)
Gordon is the best player on this list, and it's not particularly close. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior rushed for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns on 285 attempts (6.1 YPC) across 14 games in 2023, good enough to earn him Unanimous All-American honors as well as the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and Doak Walker Awards.
After starting his sophomore season slowly — only 109 yards and two touchdowns combined through his first three games — Gordon checked off six-straight 100+ yard performances all against Big 12 competition. He also scored 10 rushing touchdowns in that span.
The Texas native's best game came against West Virginia, when he racked up 282 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries. With one of the best offensive line units in the country blocking for him entering the 2024 season, Gordon will have his way with nearly any team lacking depth in the trenches.
Wide Receiver
WR Luther Burden III (Missouri)
WR Tre Harris (Ole Miss)
WR CJ Daniels (LSU)
Burden and Harris are familiar names for Arkansas fans, as both played against the Razorbacks in 2023. The third spot on the wide receiver list could have gone multiple ways, but Liberty transfer Daniels was ultimately bestowed the honor.
Both Missouri and Ole Miss have offenses designed to get their wide receivers the ball, so it should come as no surprise that Burden totaled 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns and Harris recorded 985 yards and eight scores last season.
Daniels was one of the best transfer portal players available during the offseason out of Liberty, where he caught 55 passes for 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. LSU lost standout playmakers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. from a season ago, so Daniels will be a top option for quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
