Football Notebook: Hogs still have needs in portal

FAYETTEVILLE — The Razorbacks were perfect on transfer portal targets Saturday when all four inked with the Hogs before leaving town.

The Hogs added Stanford cornerback Julian Neal, Troy edge Phillip Lee, Maine safety Shakur Smalls and Kent State linebacker Trent Whalen. That was a very good haul for Arkansas with all four figuring to help on defense in the fall.

The question now is what needs are still there? The obvious answer to that is a defensive tackle or possibly two. More likely just one, but if two were there and SEC quality it would be hard for Deke Adams, Travis Williams and Sam Pittman to say no in my opinion.

The other need remaining might be a defensive back. They added several defensive backs at midterm from the portal and then two more on Saturday. So they can afford to be picky if they do add another.

A question last night was would they add a quarterback? This question obviously stemmed from Madden Iamaleava heading to UCLA. Arkansas has its starter in Taylen Green and KJ Jackson took the majority of second-team reps in the spring. They also have talented freshman Grayson Wilson and Blake Boda on scholarship. Unless the Hogs absolutely don’t have any faith in Jackson there would be no need to go to the portal for a quarterback. Nothing Pittman or Bobby Petrino have said this spring makes me think that is the case with Jackson.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned much is the Razorbacks should save a substantial amount of money with Iamaleava leaving. Not sure what he was getting, but considering what four-star quarterbacks demand in this day and age I doubt it was small change. That should give Pittman and the Hogs maybe some money to play with at other spots.

Whatever the case with money, I don’t see the Razorbacks adding a portal quarterback. Maybe Pittman and Petrino see it differently.

The Hogs also have their 2026 quarterback committed as well. Gaffney (S.C.) quarterback Jayvon Gilmore, 6-5, 200, has long been on Arkansas’ commitment list. He is a tall quarterback who can make all the throws and reportedly is a favorite of Petrino.

In 2027, Arkansas is also seemingly in good shape with some high school quarterbacks. One to keep a very close eye on is Fayetteville’s Hank Hendrix, 6-3, 175. Hendrix’s father is the former head coach at Boerne (Texas) High School and is now on the staff at Arkansas. Hendrix is a nice get for Casey Dick and will keep that pipeline of great quarterbacks over there going. The Hogs have offered numerous others at quarterback in 2027 as well.