How Jimmy Smith's Impact Helps Hogs' Recruiting; New Rankings

Arkansas is hanging in the Top 20 of the latest SI All-American list plus Recruiting Thursday on radio

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman hires assistants primarily for how well they can recruit.

Running backs coach Jimmy Smith is starting to show he was brought in from Georgia as the Razorbacks continue to make some in-roads in that fertile state.

It's why Richard Davenport said on the Recruiting Thursday segment on The Morning Rush that Arkansas fans should be "hopefully optimistic" about landing Oklahoma wide receiver Jadon Haselwood.

Oklahoma wide receiver Jadon Haselwood jumped into the transfer portal and Arkansas could be a destination :: Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Images

Haselwood decided to enter the transfer portal about the same time Lincoln Riley grabbed the first open seat on the coaching carousel and jumped off in Southern California.

He also played in high school for Smith at Cedar Grove, Georgia, and scored the winning touchdown in the 2018 Georgia state championship game.

The connection could be strong enough to land a visit, at least, although there are no reports of that.

The Razorbacks have reached out to Haselwood, per Davenport on Recruiting Thursday's report.

You can listen to the entire segment below.

SI All-American's New Rankings

The Razorbacks have moved up two spots to 19th in the latest recruiting rankings from SI All-American.

The SEC dominates the standings with Alabama, Georgia and Texas A&M at the top.

Arkansas is the seventh-highest rated team from the SEC in the latest rankings.

Here's what SI's recruiting editor John Garcia, Jr., said:

"The Hogs got back one of the fastest and productive wide receivers on the commitment list in Sategna, pushing their number of pledges to 20. The trenches are solid and more skill targets remain down the home stretch."

Now they at least have someone who can probably get one of the better wide receivers in the transfer portal to listen.

That's a position the Hogs could use an experienced player that can make big plays because no one expects Treylon Burks to be back next season.

The Warren native is projected to be one of the first wide receivers taken in the NFL Draft if he chooses to come out this year.