Razorbacks recruiting: Updates on Arkansas’ game-day visitors in ’23-24; recent offer to ’26 5-star; latest on ’25, ’26 Hog targets

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — The span of November through March equates to the busiest stretch on the calendar for college and high school basketball teams and their players, but that doesn’t mean there’s a lull in recruiting at the Division 1 level as college coaches and high school players stay in constant contact while making plans to connect in person as schedules permit.

One of the best examples of that in-person process is the multitude of college game day opportunities for high school players to attend D1 games at their colleges of interest, and the Arkansas Razorbacks led by fifth-year head coach Eric Musselman annually make the most of these opportunities by inviting and bringing players in for various games, several of which offer a national-stage limelight.

Such is the case on Saturday when ESPN’s College Basketball GameDay will be on campus at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville broadcasting its show as a lead-up to the Arkansas vs. No. 6 Kentucky game (5 p.m. CST, ESPN).

One Razorbacks recruiting target (more will be announced once green-lighted) who’s already been on campus multiple times for games and unofficial visits over the past couple of years and who plans to be in the house at BWA on Saturday for Arkansas-Kentucky is 2025 Hog offer and ESPN national No. 51 / 4-star prospect Isaiah Sealy (6-6 guard, Springdale).

Sealy confirmed with Hogville his plans to attend the Hogs-v-‘Cats tilt this weekend.

A bit further down the line in the second week of February, Arkansas is set to host highly regarded 2026 Hog target and On3 national No. 27 / 4-star Jayden Johnson (6-5 guard, Trinity High School in Louisville, Ky.) on a Saturday when the Razorbacks will host SEC foe Georgia at BWA.

“Yes, Feb. 10,” Johnson told Hogville when asked if he planned to visit Arkansas. “I love how Muss coaches and I have built a relationship with Coach (Ronnie) Brewer. The style of play is fast pace, and I feel that’s how I can play. But he also knows how to play a halfcourt game as well.”

In a previous Saturday tilt at BWA against then-No. 25 Auburn, it was 2026 Hog offer and composite national No. 10 / 5-star prospect Sam Funches (6-11 forward / center, Germantown, Miss.) who headlined a group of high school prospects in for the game.

“Had a great visit with the coaching staff before the game,” Funches told Hogville in an interview in early January. “I felt a lot of positive energy from coach Muss. It was good to meet the entire staff.”

For the list of Arkansas recruits who’ve already attended Hoop Hog games this season, scroll to the bottom of the page.

* Hoop Hogs 2026 offer: A source told Hogville on Jan. 10 that Arkansas had “just offered” a scholarship to 2026 national No. 17 / 5-star prospect Tajh Ariza (6-7 wing, St. Bernards in Calif.), who is the son of former longtime NBA small forward / wing Trevor Ariza.

* Pair of 2026 Hog targets among ESPN’s national Top 25 prospects: Sophomores Jalen Montonati (6-7 wing, Owasso, Okla.) and JaShawn “JJ” Andrews (6-6 guard, Little Rock Christian Academy) were ranked 11th and 18th, respectively, when ESPN updated its national sophomore prospect rankings on Monday. Montonati’s ranking includes a 5-star rating while Andrews is a 4-star, although Andrews carries a 5-star rating as the nation’s No. 19 prospect in 247Sports’ composite national rankings.

In late December when Andrews was in Pine Bluff competing in the annual King Cotton Holiday Classic tournament, Hogville caught up with him and discussed, among other things, his Hoop Hogs recruitment …

– JaShawn “JJ” Andrews interview: https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1740241553355079813?s=20

* Updates on a tandem of 2025 Texas high school teammates and Hog targets: Juniors Kayden “Bugg” Edwards (6-3 guard, 247Sports national No. 88 / 4-star prospect) and BJ Davis-Ray (6-7 guard, Rivals national No. 56 / 4-star prospect) — both have been on Arkansas’ campus for unofficial visits in the past year — had career-high nights on the glass while leading Duncanville (TX) to a 74-57 win over Lake Ridge on Tuesday. Edwards had his second-consecutive 35-point scoring game to go with a career-high 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the win, while Davis-Ray tallied 23 points (his fifth consecutive game of scoring 20 or more points), a career-high 17 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.

In late December when both Hog targets were in Pine Bluff competing in the annual King Cotton Holiday Classic tournament, Hogville caught up with them and discussed, among other things, their Hoop Hogs recruitment …

– Kayden “Bugg” Edwards interview: https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1740232663154438247?s=20

– BJ Davis-Ray interview: https://x.com/ARHoopScoop/status/1740228488362332639?s=20

* In case you missed it, top shooting guard in junior class plans to visit Arkansas soon: As we previously reported, 2025 composite national No. 3 / 5-star prospect Darryn Peterson (6-5 guard, Huntington Prep in W.Va.) included Arkansas among his Top 8 schools, and via comments made by his father Darryl Peterson in an interview with Hogville the highly regarded guard plans to visit Arkansas as soon as February (for more on Peterson’s Arkansas recruitment including why his Hoop Hogs interest is high, click on the link to our Hogville article published earlier this month: https://forums.hogville.net/index.php?topic=763237.0).

Here’s the list of recruits who attended 2023-24 Arkansas Razorbacks mens’ basketball games …

Red/White intra-squad scrimmage in October

– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 50 / 4-star Isaiah Sealy (6-6 guard, Springdale)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Aidan Chronister (6-7 wing, Rogers)

Purdue exhibition game in October

– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 35 / 4-star Terrion Burgess (6-9 combo forward, Benton)
– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 50 / 4-star Isaiah Sealy (6-6 guard, Springdale)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Aidan Chronister (6-7 wing, Rogers)
– 2026 Hog interest Jordan Harris (6-7 wing / small forward, Maumelle)
– 2026 Hog interest Anthony Hester (6-5 wing, Little Rock Mills)
– 2026 Hog interest Tristan Jahnke (6-7 small forward, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Micah Moore (5-9 guard, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Ladaryl Robinson (6-7 forward, Marion)
– 2025 Hog interest Marcus Britt Jr. (6-3 guard, Forrest City)
– 2026 Hog interest DJ Hudson (6-7 forward, Fayetteville)

Duke game in November

– 2025 Hog offer and national Top 35 / 4-star Terrion Burgess (6-9 combo forward, Benton)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 10 / 5-star Jalen Montonati (6-7 wing, Owasso, Okla.)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Jacob Lanier (6-6 combo guard, Maumelle)

Lipscomb game in December in North Little Rock …

– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 20 / 5-star JaShawn “JJ” Andrews (6-6 wing, Little Rock Christian Academy)
– 2026 Hog offer and national Top 30 / 4-star Jacob Lanier (6-6 combo guard, Maumelle)
– 2026 Hog interest Anthony Hester (6-5 wing, Little Rock Mills)
– 2026 Hog interest Jordan Harris (6-7 wing / small forward, Maumelle)
– 2026 Hog interest Tristan Jahnke (6-7 small forward, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Micah Moore (5-9 guard, Joe T. Robinson)
– 2026 Hog interest Colton Spence (6-11 forward, Atlanta, TX)
– 2025 Hog interest Jayce Tillman (6-4 guard, Jacksonville)
– 2025 Hog interest Alex Orr (6-3 guard, Texarkana)

Auburn game in January

– ’26 Hog target & Nat’l Top 10 / 5-star Sam Funches @FunchesSam (6-11 forward / center, Germantown, Miss.)
– ’25 Hog offer & Nat’l Top 50 / 4-star Isaiah Sealy @isaiah_sealy (6-6 guard, Springdale)
– ’25 Hog interest Markalon Rochell @PullupBoe11 (6-7 forward, Maumelle)
– ’26 Hog interest Jordan Harris (6-8 forward, Maumelle)
– ’26 Hog interest Micah Moore (5-9 guard, Joe T. Robinson)
– ’26 Hog interest Tristan Jahnke (6-8 forward, Joe T. Robinson)
– ’26 Hog interest Adam Tyson, Jr. (6-8 forward, Oxford, Miss.)