Razorbacks Will Host Prized 5-Star Defender This Weekend

Arkansas hoping to flip major prospect from Longhorns with some brotherly influence

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sidelines against the Texas A&M Aggies. / Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Pleasant Grove High School 5-star defensive end Lance Jackson will attend Arkansas' SEC home opener against Tennessee this Saturday.

Jackson is the brother of current Razorbacks' star defensive end and preseason first teamer, Landon. The 6-foot-5, 260 pound edge rusher committed to Texas over Arkansas in January after a visit with the Longhorns.

Texas Longhorns commit & Texarkana Pleasant Grove EDGE @lancejackson40 tremendous on SR tape. 6-6, 265 with quickness, COD, playing strength & a terrific motor. #HookEm @ontexasfootball pic.twitter.com/pisQKLIedj

— Gerry Hamilton (@GHamiltonOTF) September 10, 2024

He is the No. 38 overall prospect nationally, No. 3 defensive end and No. 10 player in Texas for the 2025 class. Jackson had an outstanding junior season last year with junior season with 69 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3 sacks, and 3 FF while helping Pleasant Grove to a 12-1 overall record and a semifinalist in its 4A region.

The Razorbacks are hosting several other highly recruited prosepcts this weekend including 2025 linebacker commit Tavion Wallace, 2026 wide receiver Caleb Smith of Allen, Texas, 2025 quarterback commit Grayson Wilson, 2025 offensive line commit Blake Cherry and 2026 defensive lineman Anthony Kennedy.

The Jackson brothers won't play college football together as Landon likely pursues NFL opportunities after the season. However, that hasn't slowed the Arkansas-Texas rivalry bleeding over into a sibling rivalry.

Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel. / Brett Patzke-Imagn Images

“I tried real hard to bring him over before he committed (to Texas),” Jackson told reporters at SEC Media Days. “I’m not going to lie, my sophomore year here, his junior year of high school, going into that season I almost got him to commit to Arkansas. I thought I had him. I guess he fell in love with Texas. I’m happy for him and excited to see what he does there.”

While Lance remains solidly committed to the Longhorns, he will have an opportunity to witness a stripe out atmosphere inside Razorback Stadium. The hatred between Arkansas and Tennessee doesn't match the same intensity toward Texas but with a few highly recruited prospects expected to be in town it could be electric at kickoff against the nation's No. 4 ranked team.

EXPECTED VISITORS
2025 QB commit Grayson Wilson
2025 LB commit Tavion Wallace
2025 DE Texas commit Lance Jackson
2026 OL Kingston Jackson
2026 WR Chase Campbell
2026 WR Caleb Smith
2026 DL Anthony Kennedy
2026 DB Donovan Webb

HOGS FEED:

• Visit primer: Razorbacks hosting major 5-star visitor this weekend

• Razorbacks excited for stripe-out against No. 4 Tennessee

• What could be biggest stat line to watch in Razorbacks-Vols?

• Tennessee reporter gives inside look into what Hogs will face Saturday

• Calipari goes Biblical in teaching Razorbacks how to appreciate underserved areas of fan base

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