Javin (pronounced like "Raven" with a J) tweeted this morning that he plans to be in Fayetteville next month, so I reached out to him for a quick update...
arkansas.rivals.com
Arkansas had one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country in 2021 and signed two more running backs in its most recent class, but Jimmy Smith isn’t resting on his laurels.
The Razorbacks’ third-year running backs coach had already secured a visit from 2023 Rivals100 running back Treyaun Webb for the first weekend of March and 5.7 three-star running back Javin Simpkins announced Monday that he’ll be checking out Arkansas the following week.
Smith was a major factor in getting Simpkins to make the trip from Miami, Fla., to Fayetteville next month.
“Our relationship is real cool,” Simpkins told HawgBeat. “He’s from down here, so we chop it up all the time. We stay in touch and talk about everything. We just talked about the Super Bowl and stuff like that. We have a real genuine bond right now and I really like.”
However, that relationship won’t be enough by itself for the Razorbacks to land the No. 12 all-purpose back in the country. His upcoming visit will be huge in the decision process.
“I’m very interested in Arkansas, but this decision I’m making in my life, I can’t just make it off the bond I have with them,” Simpkins said. “I want to get up and see the place for myself. I just have to see the campus, see the weather, all that. I just want to get up there myself and see it.”
One reason Simpkins is listed as an all-purpose back in the Rivals database is because of his versatility. He missed several games with an injury at Miami Norland this season, but still caught 11 passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns in addition to his 512 yards and three scores on 49 carries.
That followed a sophomore season in which he rushed for 1,124 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning first-team All-Dade 8A-6A honors from the Miami Herald.
“I feel like I’m more of a receiving back because I can catch out of the backfield,” Simpkins said. “I feel like I have great speed and I’m able to make defenders miss all the time. I put myself in that type of category… That just helps my game because I’m able to stay on the field and not have to come off because I can’t catch.”
Simpkins was sure to point out, though, that he wants to run the ball at the next level. The fact that Arkansas ranked seventh in the FBS - and led all Power Five schools - with 227.8 rushing yards per game is something that caught his attention this season.
“I look at all of those things,” Simpkins said. “At the end of the day, I’m a running back and I want to run the ball. I want to be able to be in that category as a 1,000-yard rusher. Even though they were more balanced this year, the fact that they were in the top 10 (rushing attacks) meant a lot to me and it showed that they really run the ball.”
The Razorbacks aren’t alone in their pursuit of the talented running back. He has Power Five offers from Georgia Tech, Indiana, Louisville, Maryland, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and West Virginia.
Simpkins told HawgBeat that he’s already visited Louisville, making that trip on Jan. 29, and he’ll be at Georgia Tech - where he was committed for about 10 months last year before decommitting in December - before his visit to Arkansas.
Having already been committed once, he is in no rush to make a final decision on where he’ll play college ball. He said his commitment date is “no time soon.”
“I’m not going to rush into a decision,” Simpkins said. “I want to take in everything, take all my visits and really come to a decision after I do that. I’d say after I take all five of my visits, I’ll probably come up with a decision then.”
Relationship with Smith leads to visit from Miami RB
HawgBeat caught up with one of Arkansas' 2023 running back targets ahead of his visit next month.
Arkansas had one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country in 2021 and signed two more running backs in its most recent class, but Jimmy Smith isn’t resting on his laurels.
The Razorbacks’ third-year running backs coach had already secured a visit from 2023 Rivals100 running back Treyaun Webb for the first weekend of March and 5.7 three-star running back Javin Simpkins announced Monday that he’ll be checking out Arkansas the following week.
Smith was a major factor in getting Simpkins to make the trip from Miami, Fla., to Fayetteville next month.
“Our relationship is real cool,” Simpkins told HawgBeat. “He’s from down here, so we chop it up all the time. We stay in touch and talk about everything. We just talked about the Super Bowl and stuff like that. We have a real genuine bond right now and I really like.”
However, that relationship won’t be enough by itself for the Razorbacks to land the No. 12 all-purpose back in the country. His upcoming visit will be huge in the decision process.
“I’m very interested in Arkansas, but this decision I’m making in my life, I can’t just make it off the bond I have with them,” Simpkins said. “I want to get up and see the place for myself. I just have to see the campus, see the weather, all that. I just want to get up there myself and see it.”
One reason Simpkins is listed as an all-purpose back in the Rivals database is because of his versatility. He missed several games with an injury at Miami Norland this season, but still caught 11 passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns in addition to his 512 yards and three scores on 49 carries.
That followed a sophomore season in which he rushed for 1,124 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning first-team All-Dade 8A-6A honors from the Miami Herald.
“I feel like I’m more of a receiving back because I can catch out of the backfield,” Simpkins said. “I feel like I have great speed and I’m able to make defenders miss all the time. I put myself in that type of category… That just helps my game because I’m able to stay on the field and not have to come off because I can’t catch.”
Simpkins was sure to point out, though, that he wants to run the ball at the next level. The fact that Arkansas ranked seventh in the FBS - and led all Power Five schools - with 227.8 rushing yards per game is something that caught his attention this season.
“I look at all of those things,” Simpkins said. “At the end of the day, I’m a running back and I want to run the ball. I want to be able to be in that category as a 1,000-yard rusher. Even though they were more balanced this year, the fact that they were in the top 10 (rushing attacks) meant a lot to me and it showed that they really run the ball.”
The Razorbacks aren’t alone in their pursuit of the talented running back. He has Power Five offers from Georgia Tech, Indiana, Louisville, Maryland, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and West Virginia.
Simpkins told HawgBeat that he’s already visited Louisville, making that trip on Jan. 29, and he’ll be at Georgia Tech - where he was committed for about 10 months last year before decommitting in December - before his visit to Arkansas.
Having already been committed once, he is in no rush to make a final decision on where he’ll play college ball. He said his commitment date is “no time soon.”
“I’m not going to rush into a decision,” Simpkins said. “I want to take in everything, take all my visits and really come to a decision after I do that. I’d say after I take all five of my visits, I’ll probably come up with a decision then.”
