From @RileyWPS
arkansas.rivals.com
HawgBeat's recruiting rewind series features a look back at all of the Arkansas football recruiting classes dating back to 2002, which is as far back as the Rivals rankings go.
The series goes in order of class ranking, which spans from 61st nationally to 16th nationally.
In the seventh edition of this series, we will be covering the 2016 recruiting class. With the Arkansas football team coming off a red-hot finish to the 2015 season - winning five of its last six regular season games capped off with a win over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl - the momentum of the program under head coach Bret Bielema was at a high level.
Despite the momentum, the 2016 recruiting class was Bielema's worst in his time in Fayetteville. Fans may not remember Bielema as a great recruiter, but a national ranking of 30th being your lowest class in five seasons would contradict that thought.
There was one big miss this class, though. Isaiah Simmons, a linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals and the No. 8 overall pick in 2020 NFL draft, was once a three-star athlete out of Olathe, Kansas. Before ultimately becoming a Clemson Tiger, Simmons wanted to be a Razorback. But while on a visit, Bielema reportedly told Simmons that he had no idea how to use him at Arkansas, so Simmons looked elsewhere.
Out of 23 commitments, seven would eventually decide to transfer. Among those seven was Cole "Steamboat" Kelley, a 6-foot-7, 258-pound behemoth of a quarterback. While never realizing his full potential during his time with the Hogs, Kelley went on to win the Walter Payton Award at Southeastern Louisiana, an award given to the best offensive player at the FCS level.
While the 2016 season was a disappointment, multiple freshman provided quality production throughout the season. Running back Devwah Whaley, linebacker De'Jon Harris and defensive lineman McTelvin Agim are just three examples of players that stood out amongst the crowd.
Below is a look at all 23 commits from the 2016 class, the MVP of the class, who transferred out and where each ended up.
CONTINUE READING HERE
HawgBeat - Recruiting Rewind: Arkansas' 2016 class
HawgBeat takes a look back at Arkansas football's 2016 recruiting class and how each player panned out.
arkansas.rivals.com
HawgBeat's recruiting rewind series features a look back at all of the Arkansas football recruiting classes dating back to 2002, which is as far back as the Rivals rankings go.
The series goes in order of class ranking, which spans from 61st nationally to 16th nationally.
In the seventh edition of this series, we will be covering the 2016 recruiting class. With the Arkansas football team coming off a red-hot finish to the 2015 season - winning five of its last six regular season games capped off with a win over Kansas State in the Liberty Bowl - the momentum of the program under head coach Bret Bielema was at a high level.
Despite the momentum, the 2016 recruiting class was Bielema's worst in his time in Fayetteville. Fans may not remember Bielema as a great recruiter, but a national ranking of 30th being your lowest class in five seasons would contradict that thought.
There was one big miss this class, though. Isaiah Simmons, a linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals and the No. 8 overall pick in 2020 NFL draft, was once a three-star athlete out of Olathe, Kansas. Before ultimately becoming a Clemson Tiger, Simmons wanted to be a Razorback. But while on a visit, Bielema reportedly told Simmons that he had no idea how to use him at Arkansas, so Simmons looked elsewhere.
Out of 23 commitments, seven would eventually decide to transfer. Among those seven was Cole "Steamboat" Kelley, a 6-foot-7, 258-pound behemoth of a quarterback. While never realizing his full potential during his time with the Hogs, Kelley went on to win the Walter Payton Award at Southeastern Louisiana, an award given to the best offensive player at the FCS level.
While the 2016 season was a disappointment, multiple freshman provided quality production throughout the season. Running back Devwah Whaley, linebacker De'Jon Harris and defensive lineman McTelvin Agim are just three examples of players that stood out amongst the crowd.
Below is a look at all 23 commits from the 2016 class, the MVP of the class, who transferred out and where each ended up.
CONTINUE READING HERE
