Arkansas is looking to lock in its second five-star guard in the 2025 class, and I have logged a Rivals FutureCast for that to happen by projecting Meleek Thomas to become a Razorback.
I initially put a FutureCast in for Thomas to Connecticut, which seemed like a near-done deal over the summer, but recruiting is extremely volatile and things change constantly.
Arkansas benefits from its new coaching staff — which includes head coach John Calipari — having an existing relationship with Thomas, and also because back-to-back national champion UConn is pushing for other 2025 stars in Acaden Lewis and Braylon Mullins.
The latter kept Thomas's recruitment open long enough to schedule and visit Fayetteville over the weekend, when the Arkansas football team defeated No. 4 Tennessee in an electric atmosphere at Razorback Stadium.
Sources have indicated that the visit went very well, with the coaching staff pushing for a commitment from Thomas. Current five-star 2025 Arkansas guard commit Darius Acuff Jr. was also on campus for a visit.
The main reasons for switching my FutureCast to Arkansas have to do with the timeline of events and reading some tea leaves. What sticks out most from the timeline is as follows:
(1) Thomas has been an Arkansas lean for a while.
(2) Sources have indicated that 2025 recruit Kingston Flemings won't be taking his Arkansas visit, which was scheduled for late October.
(3) Past intel has suggested that Arkansas would take the first of whomever committed between Flemings and Thomas.
(4) Thomas had an incredible visit this past weekend, per source.
(5) Bringing Acuff in for a visit on the same weekend as Thomas.
(6) Sources have rumored that Thomas might cancel his upcoming Kansas State visit.
If Thomas does not make the trip to Kansas State, I think all bets are off and that he's likely a Razorback. Even if he keeps that visit, I think the Wildcats' coaching staff has an uphill battle to climb.
I am confident in saying that the Razorbacks are the favorites to land Thomas at this point in time, though recruiting in the high school ranks is incredibly fluid and things can change on a dime at any given moment.
