HawgBeat - Arkansas football 2023 projected depth chart: Offense
HawgBeat provides a three-deep projection for Arkansas football's offensive depth chart.
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The Arkansas football team has plenty of new faces for the 2023 season and the three-deep depth chart will look much different than it did during the 7-6 campaign in 2022 that was capped off with a Liberty Bowl win over Kansas.
To be fair, some of the impact players entering the season will be familiar names. KJ Jefferson and Rocket Sanders are the stars of the show for first year offensive coordinator Dan Enos.
More returning names will fill in some starting spots, but positions such as wide receiver, tight end and over half the offensive line will have different starters than they did in 2022.
After watching all of the spring practices and seeing how the roster rounded out, I felt it was time to put together a three-deep depth chart projection. Listed below are the top three names for each position on offense with explanation for why I made each choice and why some names might've been left off.
Quarterback
1. KJ Jefferson
2. Jacolby Criswell
3. Cade Fortin
The starting spot here is a very simple answer with KJ Jefferson as the third-year starter.
Behind Jefferson are a pair of quarterbacks who transferred in, the most recent being Jacolby Criswell, who transferred from North Carolina over the offseason.
While Fortin transferred in from South Florida prior to last year and he even started a game, there's now a new system under first-year offensive coordinator Dan Enos.
Criswell and Fortin seemed neck-and-neck for the No. 2 spot during the spring, but I'm giving the edge to Criswell. I thought the Morrilton native created separation during the last few spring practices and he has the higher ceiling of the two.
Arkansas also has freshman Malachi Singleton in the quarterback room, but he will spend this fall learning behind three veteran passers.
Running Back
1. Raheim Sanders
2. Rashod Dubinion
3. AJ Green
Another simple one as far as the starter goes here. Sanders rushed for 1,443 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022 and he will enter the 2023 season as one of the top backs in the nation.
Last year, Green had 424 rushing yards compared to Dubinion's 321, but the latter had two more touchdowns on the year. The Hogs seemed to trust Dubinion more in high-leverage situations and in goal line situations. I see Dubinion getting more carries this fall, but the duo will likely have a very similar workload.
Redshirt junior Dominique Johnson is still recovering from his second torn ACL in as many seasons, so his availability for this fall is still to be determined. Johnson led the Razorbacks with seven rushing touchdowns in 2021.
True freshman Isaiah Augustave has the tools to be great, but it will be tough for him to get a significant amount of carries this season with the trio listed above.
Tight End
1. Var'Keyes Gumms
2. Nathan Bax
3. Luke Hasz
This is a position that should see more use with Enos at the helm this fall. North Texas transfer Var'Keyes Gumms looks to have the tools of a great pass-catching tight end on film, but it needs to transfer to SEC football.
As a super senior, Bax will be the leader of the room, but his role will consist mostly of blocking. The same goes for Louisville transfer Francis Sherman, who caught just one pass for 13 yards in 2022 with the Cardinals.
Freshman Luke Hasz made a case for spring practice MVP in my book, and he was definitely the most impressive of the early enrollee freshmen. Hasz can get on the field early and often if he plays like he did in the spring and he provides a great option as a modern day pass-catching tight end.
Also in the tight end room is true freshman Shamar Easter, who did not enroll early for spring ball. A four-star prospect, Easter will have some ground to make up in fall camp.
Slot Wide Receiver
1. Isaiah Sategna
2. Bryce Stephens
3. Dazmin James
If I had to name an official spring MVP, it likely would've been Sategna. The redshirt freshman out of Fayetteville High School seems primed to take a big step in his second year with the Razorbacks.
Sategna was consistently open on routes and defenders had no answer for his speedy cuts on slants and his simple, yet quick out-routes that seemed unguardable. He even put his vertical speed on display in the Red-White scrimmage by hauling in three passes for 95 yards and two scores.
Entering his redshirt sophomore season, Stephens has a shot to finally break through as a legitimate pass catcher. He's teetered on the line of potentially becoming an option for Jefferson, but it just hasn't happened yet.
James was a late addition to the 2023 class, but all signs point to him being an issue for defenders if it comes down to speed. It'll be interesting to see what the North Carolina native will be able to show in fall camp.
Walk-on Chris Harris is another option in the slot and he shows flashes in practice occasionally.
Outside Wide Receiver
1. Andrew Armstrong
2. Isaac TeSlaa
3. Tyrone Broden
All three transfers during the first portal window, these receivers will need to prove they can make a difference on the Power Five level.
Armstrong and TeSlaa were both very impressive during the spring, making an impact in different ways. The former is a precise route runner with the ability to make tough catches in traffic, while the latter has a knack for gaining just enough separation to put himself in position to make a great play.
Neither of Armstrong or TeSlaa have played Division I football, but Broden did with Bowling Green. A leg injury hampered his ability to participate during the spring, but Broden has the tools to be a legit vertical threat. His speed combined with his 6-foot-7 frame could end up being an issue for defenders.
Sophomore Sam Mbake ran with the first team for a good portion of the spring, and while he looked impressive, that move seemed to reflect the fact that he has been in the system longer than newcomers.
Redshirt sophomore Jaedon Wilson wasn't able to participate in the spring due to a car accident, but he recently posted that his recovery is going well. Freshman Davion Dozier was dominant for Moody High School in Alabama, but he wasn't an early enrollee, so we couldn't see him in the spring.
Arkansas also has a strong walk-on in Memphis transfer Marlon Crockett, who looked good this spring.
Left Tackle
1. Devon Manuel
2. Andrew Chamblee
3. Terry Wells
Pittman seems to really like Manuel in the left tackle spot to replace Luke Jones, who filled the role in 2022. The 6-foot-9, 310-pound tackle dropped 24 pounds from last season and he looked the part in the spring. Manuel is primed to show his abilities as a redshirt sophomore.
Chamblee provides little drop off from Manuel, as the redshirt freshman from Maumelle checks in at 6-foot-6, 303 pounds. As a redshirt sophomore, Wells is able to move around a bit and he could also slot in as a guard if needed.
Arkansas even tried out veteran Brady Latham at left tackle during the spring, but it's pretty clear that he will be a guard again.
Left Guard
1. Brady Latham
2. Cole Carson
3. Paris Patterson
Speaking of Latham, he is a very solid option to have at the left guard spot. The redshirt senior from Jenks, Oklahoma, has started every game since 2020, primarily at left guard.
Last year, Latham played 983 snaps and allowed just two sacks and committed two penalties, according to Pro Football Focus.
Carson was pretty consistently a second team guard this spring and he has a similar frame to Latham at 6-foot-5, 303 pounds. Patterson is a big four-star true freshman at 6-foot-6, 361 pounds.
