Sam Pittman talks transfer portal as Hogs continue to land recruits

FAYETTEVILLE — Sam Pittman and his staff have taken advantage of the 10-day portal window to add five recruits with more visiting Fayetteville.

Pittman was asked on Thursday if the Hogs will sign more than the five they have at this time?

“Well, we’re going to use our 85 scholarships, and it’s still fluid to be honest with you, about the 105,” Pittman said. “Anticipation of the 105. You can do it two different ways. You can bring 120 into camp if you want and then cut 15 the day before the Alabama A&M game, but you’re not giving them a choice. I think now, if you’re having some conversations with them, guys who may not make the 105, at least you give them a choice to the portal. So, we’re kind of actively doing that now and have this week. It would be, the number could be maybe three or four more, or less, depending on scholarship numbers that we have.”

It seems very likely that Arkansas will exceed the five they have now signed since they welcomed two outstanding wide receivers to campus on Thursday. Former Texas and Washington wide receiver Johntay Cook II, 6-0, 185, and former Florida and Pitt wide receiver Andy Jean, 6-1, 179, are on campus today. Cook was a Top 50 recruit coming out of DeSoto (Texas) and played at Texas last fall. He transferred to Washington at midterm. Jean left the Gators for Pitt at midterm.

Pittman added Florida State quarterback Trever Jackson, 6-3, 187, on Thursday morning. The Hogs previously signed Stanford cornerback Julian Neal, 6-2, 200, Maine safety Shakur Smalls, 6-0, 205, Kent State linebacker Trent Whalen, 6-3, 235, and Troy edge Phillip Lee, 6-4, 240.

“You’re going to have to remind me,” Pittman said. “I know we’ve been pretty busy. I know we’ve got a quarterback. You know, we got Trever. Excited about him. I think he comes here and fits exactly what we were looking for. When we lost Madden (Iamaleava), I think he was vying for the three spot. And I think Trevor will come up and be able to do that and continue to get better and press KJ (Jackson) and be a player for us in either the near future or future that could be a really good player for us. 

“Yeah, I like Neal. Neal’s a good-looking kid. Big. Can run. I thought we did a really good job of recruiting him and I like him. Obviously, we brought him in thinking he can play for us immediately. Smalls is another guy at safety we needed. We just didn’t have enough guys back there, and we think he’s a really good player, good kid.”

Pittman also mentioned Lee and Whalen.

“Both those guys are really good kids,” Pittman said. “We wanted a pass-rusher, so we felt like we went out and got that accomplished. And then, we’re good at linebacker. We’ve got some good linebackers, and we like our linebacker depth-wise. We needed a veteran guy that’s played some ball that could go in there and help us. So, I’m pleased with who all we signed and seem to be really good kids that will fit into the team.”

Pittman was specifically asked as well if the team plans to add a defensive tackle from the portal?

“Yeah, I think so,” Pittman said. “Now, we’re heavy in there, number-wise. But we wouldn’t turn down a guy that was affordable and we felt like could at least run up into the two-deep. To answer your question, yeah. To be honest with you, probably, that’s almost any position. Not every position, but almost. If we had a scholarship available, finances available and we thought that whomever could be in the top-two in the depth chart, at least, we’d probably take a strong look at him.”

Pittman was also asked what about the transfer portal would he change if he had the opportunity?

“Two portals,” Pittman said. “Again you’re having spring ball for a lot of reasons. One of them is to get better. One of them is to know who you have on the team, for the players to know who’s on the team, who they can trust. And then the portal opens after spring. Again, I don’t blame the kids for it because it’s opportunity for them. But I’m not for sure that if you’re going to have a spring portal (window) that that’s good for anybody.

“To me, you’d have it during that break, some time Jan. 2 to 12 is what I’ve heard. Hopefully they’ll do that. The biggest challenge is that you improve, improve, improve and then what does that mean? Well my money should improve. Well, you just signed a contract in January and we may not have the money available, you know what I mean. It’s just a constant part of fighting that. I want to be able to pay the players, but I also want to know what my team is supposed to look like after spring ball.”

The 10-day portal window ends at midnight on Friday.