Razorbacks Silently Assembling Impressive Defensive Line Haul

Defensive line coach Deke Adams has put in a lot of work to flip the Razorbacks' defensive front

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive line coach Deke Adams during fall camp drills on the outdoor fields in Fayetteville Ark., on Aug. 7, 2024. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks picked up a significant defensive recruit Friday afternoon with Hattiesburg, Miss., native Kevin Oatis pledging to Arkansas. 

Oatis visited during a jam-packed weekend of June 14. Others who joined him were linebacker Tavion Wallace, defensive lineman RyShawn Perry, cornerback Charles Bass, wide receiver Kelshaun Johnson and offensive linemen Kash Courtney and Austin Pay.

The 6-foot-2, 285 pound defensive tackle ranks the No. 243 overall prospect for 2025, No. 27 among linemen and No. 9 player in Mississippi. He committed to the Razorbacks over offers from Alabama, Mississippi State, Auburn, LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M, Penn State and USC. 

He earned all-state recognition from Mississippi writers for helping his Hattiesburg team to the 6A playoffs. The Clarion-Ledger also named him to its exclusive "Dandy Dozen" list before the season began. 

Thanks to defensive line coach Deke Adams, his position group has recruited extremely well throughout the summer. Collectively as a unit, Arkansas defensive staff have worked their tails off to land several elite recruits like Oatis, top-40 prospect Tavion Wallace and 4-star Reginald Vaughn.

When Sam Pittman hired Adams as defensive line coach following the 2021 season, much was made about his ability to recruit. No one knew the Razorback defensive line would become a unit not seen before, completely flipping his position room.

Adams has strung together a stretch of impressive classes over the past few cycles. Arkansas signed a pair of 4-star linemen in Charlie Collins and Kavion Henderson during the last cycle. Danny Saili transferred in from BYU and possesses exceptional size at 6-foot-3, 375 pounds.

Little Rock native Qunicy Rhodes signed in 2023 as the Razorbacks No. 2 player in his class. He played more than the majority of his teammates at edge rusher in Thursday night's season opener against UAPB.

Last season, the Razorbacks hovered around the Top 20 in sacks through seven games. Its eight sacks in the final five games dropped them to No. 53 nationally. Injuries and struggling to a 4-8 overall record impacted how aggressive Arkansas could really play defensively.

Arkansas forced the Golden Lions into 10 tackles for loss and four sacks without offering much aggressiveness Thursday night. However, a huge test looms as the team travels to Oklahoma State next weekend facing an offensive line unit that's average age sits at 24 years old.

2025 Razorbacks Recruiting Class

4-star LB Tavion Wallace
4-star DL Kevin Oatis
4-star QB Grayson Wilson
4-star WR Kamare Williams
4-star Reginald Vaughn
4-star OL Connor Howes
3-star OL Lionel Prudhomme
3-star RB Cam Settles
3-star OT Blake Cherry
3-star DL Caleb Bell
3-star OL Kash Courtney
3-star ATH Quentin Murphy
3-star LB Jayden Shelton
3-star WR Antonio Jordan
3-star DE Keiundre Johnson
3-star DB Taijh Overton
3-star RB Markeylin Batton
3-star ATH Nigel Pringle
3-star DE Trent Sellers
3-star DL JaQuentin Madison
N/a DB Shannon Blair
N/A K Evan Noel

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