The Arkansas football team held its third practice of the 2025 spring schedule on Thursday afternoon in Fayetteville and it was the first day of full pads for the Razorbacks.
Media members were let in to view about two hours of practice out on the team’s outdoor practice fields, and as always, HawgBeat has plenty of notes for subscribers.
Provided below are key takeaways, overall themes from practice, a three-deep depth chart, results from quarterbacks, live periods and more.
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Notes/Tidbits
The RundownPractice officially began at approximately 4:00 p.m. CT and we walked out around 6:30 p.m. CT. They began with stretches before going to individual drills followed by offensive starts, which was a no-camera period. They then did four periods of individual drills followed by one-one-ones and inside zone and then team drills the rest of practice.
The Quarterbacks
I charted the quarterbacks during the 7-on-7 periods, which features a quarterback, running back, tight end and four receivers on offense and two linebackers and four defensive backs on defense.
The best of the bunch was starter Taylen Green, who started 10-for-10 and finished with three straight incompletions. KJ Jackson was 9-for-10 during this drill and freshman Grayson Wilson was 4-for-5, although the one incompletion doesn't count due to a pass interference on the defense. Freshman Madden Iamaleava started with an interception and an underthrow, but bounced back with four straight completions.
It seems like the order is currently as follows: Taylen Green, KJ Jackson, Blake Boda, Madden Iamaleava, Grayson Wilson. I don't think there is a huge gap between the last three, but Green and Jackson are definitely one and two, respectively.
Iamaleava has the raw tools to be great, but he had an interception and underthrow during 7-on-7 today. Wilson had a nice touchdown pass to close out team drills, but he was otherwise rather conservative with his passes. Both seem to be working well with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, and our practice video today has a lot of film with Petrino and the quarterbacks.
Thudding
With it being the first day in full pads, they were mostly thudding instead of tackling. Basically, there's plenty of contact but not a lot of going to the ground.
There was a lot of physicality and even some late hits. Sophomore linebacker Brad Shaw made one of the harder hits during the third down situation live period with the second team defense to limit the offense from getting a first down. Walk-on defensive end Donovan Witten also had a big hit to stop the third team offense on a wide receiver screen during non-scripted team run.
Raylen Sharpe and Taylen Green have a connection
During the third down situation drills, the first team offense was five for six on converting first downs. Each of the first three plays were passes from Taylen Green to Raylen Sharpe, with two of them being completions for first downs. The other was a pass breakup by Jaheim Singletary.
Sharpe may be undersized at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, but I could see him as a candidate to lead the team in receptions this season. He spoke with the media today.
"I think it’s the biggest thing with spring ball, is getting that respect and knowing they can count on you," Sharpe said. "So I think that’s the biggest thing. I wouldn’t say I have a chip on my shoulder, it’s that walk-on mentality has never left me and never will."
Sharpe caught 51 passes for 523 yards and three scores last year at Fresno State. He does have one year of experience under Petrino and receivers coach Ronnie Fouch when he was at Missouri State in 2022. The next season in 2023, Sharpe caught 73 passes for 991 yards and seven touchdowns for the Bears.
Something to watch on the offensive line
I've noticed that they'll go Keyshawn Blackstock at right guard and Caden Kitler at center with the first team offense early in practice, but they've been regularly rotating Brooks Edmonson up to first team center and Kobe Branham to first team guard later in practices. I've also seen Shaq McRoy at first team right tackle a bit.
Random thoughts
I loved seeing them run a wide receiver sweep for Kam Shanks today. That specific play didn't go anywhere, but he's a weapon. The 5-foot-8, 170 pound UAB transfer led the nation in punt return yards (329) and touchdowns (2) last year.
New Mexico State transfer running back Mike Washington's quickness really stood out to me Thursday. The 6-foot-2, 233-pound back was running very hard and dragging defenders.
I'm curious to see how the tight end position plays out. Andreas Paaske isn't a feature guy. Chaffey CC transfer Jeremiah Beck had a play in 7-on-7s that was nearly a very athletic catch. Texas A&M transfer Jaden Platt had multiple drops Thursday. Montana State transfer Rohan Jones and Maddox Lassiter are also options there.
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Notable plays
- Selman Bridges had a pass breakup in coverage against CJ Brown on a throw from Taylen Green during a live team period.
- Braylen Russell dropped a wide open pass on a check down, but he made up for it later in practice with a breakaway run down the right sideline for roughly a 26-yard gain.
- Jaheim Singletary had multiple pass breakups in coverage at cornerback on the first team defense.
- Grayson Wilson completed a touchdown pass to Jace Petty over the left side on the final play of live team drills.
- Larry Worth III had a nice pass deflection in coverage against O'Mega Blake on a pass from Taylen Green that was in the end zone.
- KJ Jackson completed a 30-yard touchdown to Ismael Cisse with Jaden Allen in coverage during a non-scripted team period with the second team offense.
- During a third down situational period, Taylen Green took a read option up the middle and would've scored if it was a real game for a roughly 50-yard touchdown.
- Taylen Green trhew a 40-yard pass to Ismael Cisse on the left sideline during the third down period.
- Madden Iamaleava completed a pass to Krosse Johnson during third down drills with the third team offense that might've been a touchdown if it was a real game (hard to tell when they aren't tackling).
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11-on-11 Depth Chart
These depth charts are unofficial and just a general list based on the multiple 11-on-11 drills ran. They go with different personnel and different formations often.FIRST TEAM
Offense
QB: Taylen Green
RB: Braylen Russell
TE: Andreas Paaske
WR: O'Mega Blake, CJ Brown, Raylen Sharpe
LT: Corey Robinson II
LG: Fernando Carmona Jr.
C: Caden Kitler
RG: Keyshawn Blackstock
RT: E'Marion Harris
Defense
DE: Quincy Rhodes Jr.
DT: Ian Geffrard
DT: Danny Saili
DE: Charlie Collins
LB: Xavian Sorey Jr.
LB: Stephen Dix Jr.
NB: Larry Worth III
CB: Jaheim Singletary
CB: Selman Bridges
S: Caleb Wooden
S: Quentavius Scandrett
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QB: KJ Jackson
RB: Tyrell Reed Jr.
TE: Jeremiah Beck
WR: Ismael Cisse, Kam Shanks, Courtney Crutchfield
LT: Kavion Broussard
LG: Bubba Craig
C: Brooks Edmonson
RG: Kobe Branham
RT: Shaq McRoy
Defense
DE: Justus Boone
DT: Kevin Oatis
DT: Kaleb James
DE: Ken Talley
LB: Tavion Wallace
LB: Brad Shaw
NB: Jabrae Shaw
CB: Jaden Allen
CB: Keshawn Davila
S: Miguel Mitchell
S: Ahkari Johnson
THIRD TEAM
Offense
QB: Madden Iamaleava
RB: AJ Green
TE: Jaden Platt
WR: Shamar Easter, Rykar Acebo, Krosse Johnson
LT: Aaron Smith
LG: Blake Cherry
C: Kash Courtney
RG: Tim Dawn
RT: Marcus Dumervil
Defense
DE: Donovan Whitten
DT: JJ Hollingsworth
DT: Caleb Bell
DE: Kavion Henderson
LB: Joseph Whitt
LB: Justin Logan
NB: JJ Shelton
CB: Aidan McCowan
CB: Landon Phipps
S: Braylon Watson
S: Anton Pierce
