Why did we offer Chris Gragg and Basmine Jones?

[Porkyswine]

Was it just to get their friends?

[regi]

No. They are D1 athletes for sure. I don't know if WR will be their position however. Jones will be a LB/S. I think Gragg could be a defensive player or a TE.

[stronguard]

They are both quality players.  Though I'm not sure they are in the same class as Wright.  All 4 should contribute in a signifigant way during their 4 year tenures.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

I did kind of question Gragg getting a scholie, but not Jones as I think he was getting some serious looks elsewhere too.  If my memory serves me, I thought I heard that the Warren HC said Jones had the most potential of all the Warren boy's.  I think both are probably solid players.

[Dr Swineglove]

Both are solid athletes -

Chris Gragg is 6' 3," 195 lbs, and runs a 4.6 - he could develop into a decent big WR/TE if he can catch,
or a good safety if he cannot.  Gragg is rated 5.4, just .2 points behind Childs per Rivals (Gragg is a very high two star).  Since Arkansas currently has no safeties committed, I could see Gragg being sent to the weight room, redshirting for a year, and then emerging as a athlete capable of developing into a good strong safety or outside linebacker.

Basmine Jones is 6', 195 lbs, and runs a 4.5 - he could develop into a pretty good big dback.  Basmine Jones is also rated a 5.4 per Rivals, just .1 points behind Khiry Battle and .3 points behind Marcal Robinson, our only two corner backs who are currently commited (both three stars).  He's a bit taller than most of the faster corner backs out there, and his speed is suitable to cover most receivers; the fast, deep threat guys excepted.  With some good speed conditioning, and perhaps dropping a few pounds in his conditioning exercises, he could emerge a 6' corner back who runs a 4.4-4.45, and that would be money.

Of course, offering these two does help us to sign their teammates (the bigger targets), but both are good athletes in their own right as well.  We've always had a few two stars in every class in the past - unfortunately, we're not a program that gets nothing but four stars, with an occasional 5 or 3.  Hopefully that will change...  But, if you're going to sign a few two stars, they should be good athletes with the potential to develop.  I think both of these kids fit that description, and of course, having offered these two is part of the reason we have Jarius Wright and Greg Childs committed - and those two will feature prominently in our gameplan by as early as next season.

[Cresthog]

Do some research. Jones can and probably will step in and play next season. His own coach said that he is more D1 ready then anyone on his team this season. He had multiple D1 offers.

Gragg is the type of player that you bring on campus, redshirt, and develop. In time there is no doubt in my mind Gragg will be contributing in big ways for the hogs.

[IronHog]

Both are solid athletes -

Chris Gragg is 6' 3," 195 lbs, and runs a 4.6 - he could develop into a decent big WR/TE if he can catch,
or a good safety if he cannot.  Gragg is rated 5.4, just .2 points behind Childs per Rivals (Gragg is a very high two star).  Since Arkansas currently has no safeties committed, I could see Gragg being sent to the weight room, redshirting for a year, and then emerging as a athlete capable of developing into a good strong safety or outside linebacker.

Basmine Jones is 6', 195 lbs, and runs a 4.5 - he could develop into a pretty good big dback.  Basmine Jones is also rated a 5.4 per Rivals, just .1 points behind Khiry Battle and .3 points behind Marcal Robinson, our only two corner backs who are currently commited (both three stars).  He's a bit taller than most of the faster corner backs out there, and his speed is suitable to cover most receivers; the fast, deep threat guys excepted.  With some good speed conditioning, and perhaps dropping a few pounds in his conditioning exercises, he could emerge a 6' corner back who runs a 4.4-4.45, and that would be money.

Of course, offering these two does help us to sign their teammates (the bigger targets), but both are good athletes in their own right as well.  We've always had a few two stars in every class in the past - unfortunately, we're not a program that gets nothing but four stars, with an occasional 5 or 3.  Hopefully that will change...  But, if you're going to sign a few two stars, they should be good athletes with the potential to develop.  I think both of these kids fit that description, and of course, having offered these two is part of the reason we have Jarius Wright and Greg Childs committed - and those two will feature prominently in our gameplan by as early as next season.

That is a nice post.

UofA has missed out on some fine players in the past decade by 1. not offering these type of athletes 2. Not having the strength program to develop those that were offered.

Many years it is not difficult to look a the rosters of A-state and UAPB and find a in state kid or two on defense that  was turned down by UofA that would be starting for the Hogs.

[rhog1]

That is a nice post.

UofA has missed out on some fine players in the past decade by 1. not offering these type of athletes 2. Not having the strength program to develop those that were offered.

Many years it is not difficult to look a the rosters of A-state and UAPB and find a in state kid or two on defense that  was turned down by UofA that would be starting for the Hogs.

Thats a good point. No doubt in my mind Tyrell Johnson from A-state should have been a hog.

[rljjr]

That is a nice post.

UofA has missed out on some fine players in the past decade by 1. not offering these type of athletes 2. Not having the strength program to develop those that were offered.

Many years it is not difficult to look a the rosters of A-state and UAPB and find a in state kid or two on defense that  was turned down by UofA that would be starting for the Hogs.

We had a strenght program, but the guy running it was playing pickup basketball games with the coaching staff most of the time.

[IronHog]

We had a strenght program, but the guy running it was playing pickup basketball games with the coaching staff most of the time.

I have no first hand knowledge of that.


One look at the O-line and the over bulking of the RB's in the past indicated that the overall strength and development program at Arkansas was lacking.

[hogfan0307]

Was it just to get their friends?

I question that too, but we can go down a long list of players that we recruited just to get teammates...Jamaal Anderson comes to mind (to get Marc Winston)...I hope they all pan out!

[The Realist]

They had serious interest from other schools.
Basmine Jones has offers from UT, Ole Miss, and Minnesota.  People would be going nuts if we didn't offer him and he went somewhere else like Tyler Wilson

[justmaybe]

You will always find guys at the the smaller schools that could have played for the Hogs. Even under Petrino. Recruiting is not an exact science and Petrino will miss on some also. Kids who develop late are not going to be recruited by Petrino. Some kids are going to start playing right away at a smaller school and it makes all the difference.

Not a football player but think of Scottie Pippen. For heavens sake he did not even play basketball when he first went to UCA.

That is partly what gets coaches in trouble with high school coaches over a tenure. Over the years each high school coach will have a guy they want to have a scholarship- and it means alot to the home town also. In some cases the coaches are right but the scholarship limits just don't alow it. They don't get one and likely for good reasons. But the coach and the town never forget. It lingers and goes on forever.

I think it was Dykes at Texas Tech that said it best. No matter how good you do you will lose 10 percent of your fan base every year. And some of them will never be won over again. (He went on to say that he had been there 11 years so that should tell you how many still liked him). He was saying it tongue in cheek but there is some truth to it and it is probably magnified in Arkansas where most folks want the home town hero in Fayetteville.

This is where Arkansas can take it to another level IF Petrino can bump up the recruiting to another level. If more scholarships go to out of state blue chippers then many of these guys in Arkansas will have to accept a recruited walkon status. If we win it likely can happen although kids today are less likely to walk on. Ego's and cost of education have changed much of that.

[LA Football fan]

In Jones you are getting an athlete that is over 6' and around 205 right now that runs a legit 4.49 forty time.  Can catch the ball and play numerous other positions on the football field.  Has the frame to add weight and strength and still keep his speed.  Tough player and doesn't mind contact.  His offer is legit and he could make the most contribution to the Hogs team by the time he graduates.  With Gragg you are getting a 6'3" receiver that has great hands and will catch the ball going over the middle of the field.  He has the frame to also add weight and play DE if his speed is not enough to play the WR position.  He is also a good basketball player and could possibly play two sports at the UA.  All 4 have the potential to be on the field at the same time with Petrino's 4 and 5 WR sets. 

[asuindianman]

Basmine Jones is a sensational athlete.  If he's eligible, which I'm told is going to be up in the air into the summer (has to take summer school), I think he gets on the field in a special teams role if nothing else.

From what I've been told about Gragg, he's the type of kid that is going to put in five years with a program...he's not going to embarrase himself or his school and he's going to work hard to maximize his potential.  From the few times I've seen him play...I think he's a CUSA/SBC athlete.  However, a redshirt season and a couple of years in a reserve role...he could be a big time player.

[Pig_Lebowski]

It was all about offering the real athletes at Warren..  It is a numbers game people!  Look at all the TE/WR we have on campus.  It has never been about recruiting the needs, it has been about recruiting whoever. 

[3kgthog]

I figured maybe TCTJGF was friends with their daddies or something. We had a lot of that going on the last 10 years ya know.

[Hawgwylde]

At least you know all of the Warren guys can catch :razorback:

[stronguard]

I figured maybe TCTJGF was friends with their daddies or something. We had a lot of that going on the last 10 years ya know.

TCTWF had no friends in Warren.  I'm still amazed that these 4 committed to the Hogs while the dork was still there.