HawgBeat - Arkansas makes cut for talented JUCO defensive lineman
Another junior college prospect has caught the eye of the Razorbacks.
arkansas.rivals.com
We've seen a surge of offers come from the Arkansas coaching staff to athletes in the junior college ranks, and one included the Razorbacks in his latest cut of top schools.
Kemari Copeland, a four-star defensive lineman from Iowa Western Community College, trimmed his list and is keeping the Hogs in mind.
Copeland made the announcement on his X (formerly Twitter) account Thursday night.
The Virginia Beach, Virginia, native had originally signed with and played for Army coming out of high school as a two-star recruit, but headed to Iowa Western at the end of the 2022 season.
Since his time in junior college, Copeland has received offers from a plethora of schools. His top 8 consists of three SEC teams in Arkansas, Auburn and Tennessee, as well as Kansas, Arizona State, UCF and NC State.
Copeland is rated as the No. 10 junior college prospect in Rivals initial Junior College Top 40 rankings released Tuesday.
In nine games this season for the Reivers, Copeland has totaled 3.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and 26 total tackles. He's also recorded one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.
Arkansas will need some depth on the defensive line heading into next season, as it's likely the Razorbacks will lose Landon Jackson to the NFL Draft.
Adding Copeland would ease depth questions while also allowing for some continuity for years to come, as he has three years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.
