Arkansas announces 23 football signees for 2023 season
Razorbacks pick up Morrilton native via transfer portal from North Carolina
From the University of Arkansas
arkansasrazorbacks.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas announced 23 football signees, a group that included 19 high school recruits and four players from the transfer portal, on the early signing day Wednesday.
The Razorbacks’ signing class was ranked 18th nationally by Rivals and 21st by 247Sports. Among Southeastern Conference schools, Arkansas’ recruiting class was ranked eighth by Rivals and ninth by 247Sports.
Arkansas’ transfer portal additions included an instate quarterback in former Morrilton star Jacolby Criswell, who spent three seasons at North Carolina.
Sam Pittman tried to recruit Criswell after taking over as the Razorbacks’ head coach after the 2019 season, but time worked against him.
“I didn’t get him the first time. Wanted him. I went over there to Morrilton and I was too late,” Pittman said Wednesday. “I had five or six days, one time to go over there. North Carolina had done a good job and I couldn’t outrecruit them in a day, or a week, but we got him this time and we’re really glad about that.”
Criswell played in 14 games over three seasons at North Carolina. Pittman said Criswell immediately contacted Arkansas after deciding to enter the transfer portal. In-state high school signees for the Razorbacks included North Little Rock defensive end Quincy Rhodes Jr. and Bentonville offensive lineman Joey Su’a.
In addition to Criswell, Arkansas’ transfer portal additions included former Florida offensive lineman Joshua Braun, former Pittsburgh defensive end John Morgan III and former Texas A& MCommerce wide receiver Andrew Armstrong.
Braun, whom Pittman recruited while an assistant at Georgia, started seven games at guard for the Gators in 2021. Armstrong, who stands 6-foot-4, caught 62 passes for 1,020 yards and 13 touchdowns this year at Texas A& MCommerce.
Morgan made his decision for Arkansas on Wednesday. He started five games this year at Pitt, where he had 14 sacks over the last four seasons.
“He’s known for sacks, going to get the quarterback,” Pittman said. “The thing I like about him is he plays extremely hard all the time.”
Pittman said 16 of Arkansas’ 23 signees will be on campus in January and may be joined by others as the Razorbacks work the transfer portal.
Arkansas signed 13 defensive players, a group that includes six defensive backs, four defensive linemen and three linebackers.
“I think we signed a good back end group,” Pittman said.
Offensively, the Razorbacks added 10 players, among them four offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, two wide receivers, a running back and a tight end.
Quarterback Malachi Singleton of Kennesaw, Ga., North Cobb is a consensus four-star recruit.
Pittman said the 6-1, 220pound Singleton is a good fit for Arkansas’ offense.
“I think he was the best running back they had on their team when he took the ball. It was about toughness,” Pittman said.
“He went out to some camp and finished in the top 10 or somewhere around there as a quarterback, and he can throw it, but I just liked him because of his competitiveness and his toughness.”
Arkansas signees
• Andrew Armstrong, WR, 6-4, 189, Dallas, Texas (Bishop Dunne HS/Texas A& M-Commerce)
• Isaiah Augustave, RB, 62, 205, Naples, Fla.
(Naples HS)
• Joshua Braun, OL, 6-6, 335, Live Oak, Fla.
(Swannee HS/Florida)
• Jaylon Braxton, DB, 6-0, 180, Frisco, Texas (Lone Star HS)
• Luke Brown, OL, 6-6, 320, Paris, Tenn. (Henry County HS)
• Jacolby Criswell, QB, 61, 225, Morrilton, Ark.
(Morrilton HS/North Carolina)
• Carson Dean, LB, 6-4,
See HOGS, page A15
Photo courtesy of the Arkansas Razorbacks HOGS
From page A6
230, Frisco, Texas (Hebron HS)
• Davion Dozier, WR, 6-4, 195, Moody, Ala. (Moody HS)
• Christian Ford, DB, 6-0, 185, McKinney, Texas (McKinney HS)
• Ian Geffrard, OL, 6-5, 370, Mableton, Ga. (Whitefield Academy)
• Dylan Hasz, DB, 5-11, 175, Bixby, Okla. (Bixby HS)
• Luke Hasz, TE, 6-3, 245, Bixby, Okla. (Bixby HS)
• Kaleb James, DL, 6-4, 260, Mansfield, Texas (Mansfield HS)
• RJ Johnson, DB, 6-2, 182, Locust Grove, Ga. (Eagles Landing Christian Academy)
• TJ Metcalf, DB, 6-1, 185, Birmingham, Ala. (Pinson Valley HS)
• John Morgan III, DE / OLB, 6-2, 265, Upper Marlboro, Md. (DeMatha Catholic HS / Pittsburgh)
• Paris Patterson, OL, 6-6, 340, East St.
Louis, Ill. (East St. Louis HS)
• Quincy Rhodes Jr., DL, 6-6, 250, North Little Rock, Ark. (North Little Rock HS)
• Alex Sanford, LB, 6-1, 230, Oxford, Miss. (Oxford HS)
• Malachi Singleton, QB, 6-1, 220, Kennesaw, Ga. (North Cobb HS)
• Brad Spence, LB, 6-2, 225, Houston, Texas (Klein Forest HS)
• Joey Su’a, OL, 6-4, 331, Bentonville, Ark. (Bentonville HS)
• Dallas Young, DB, 6-0, 185, Gardendale, Ala. (Gardendale HS)
