JUCO CB Joseph Putu Plays Arkansas, Flips to Florida on National Signing Day

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Safe to say there is one 2016 recruit that would not be a welcomed face in Fayetteville any time soon and one all of the Arkansas players and coaches cannot wait to line up against, Joseph Putu. On Saturday, Jan. 30, Putu verbally committed to the Razorbacks during a big recruiting weekend that culminated with four verbal pledges; LB Dee Walker, DB Micahh Smith, OT Paul Ramirez, and Putu.

On Feb. 3, Putu flipped his commitment to Florida after a spot opened up once 5-star Louisiana cornerback Kristian Fulton’s signing with LSU.

The 6’2”, 195 pound, corner from North Dakota State College of Science was a widely overlooked recruit throughout the 2015 season but started picking up a lot of interest as National Signing Day neared. Ahead of interest and an offer from Arkansas, Putu was being heavily courted by and taking official visits to Tennessee State (Jan. 8), UAB (Jan. 22), and Toledo (Jan. 25).

Arkansas accepted Putu’s commitment but during his visit news broke that Florida had offered. Putu assured the Razorbacks that he was firm with his commitment. On Wednesday, after Fulton picked LSU over Arkansas, the ugly side of the recruiting process struck the Hogs seeing their only cornerback commitment in the 2016 class head to Gainesville.

Arkansas entered National Signing Day with the possibility of signing two corners, but one tough decision by Fulton left Arkansas with none.

The Razorbacks coaching staff did a good job of holding their verbal commitments throughout the process losing just three in total; Kellen Diesch, who decided to stay in-state to play for Texas A&M, Jordan Carmouche, who decided he wanted to play running back in college instead of linebacker signing with SMU, and Putu.

At the time of this writing, Arkansas has 20 letters of intent turned in with in-state offensive/defensive lineman Dylan Hays as a grayshirt candidate who could be added to the class.

Arkansas Razorbacks 2016 Verbal Commitment List (20)

SS Deon Edwards, 6’0”, 195 lbs, Lake Minneola HS, Minneola, FL

SS Alexy Jean-Baptiste, 6’3”, 205 lbs, Coconut Creek HS, Coconut Creek, FL

SS Micahh Smith, 6’0”, 195 lbs, Marshall HS, Marshall, TX

DE McTelvin Agim, 6’3”, 269 lbs, Hope HS, Hope, AR

DE Jonathan Marshall, 6’4”, 275 lbs, Shepherd, TX

DT Austin Capps, 6’4”, 306 lbs, Star City HS, Star City, AR

DT Briston Guidry, 6’3”, 275 lbs, Rummel HS, Metairie, LA

LB Dejon Harris, 5’11”, 235 lbs, John Ehret HS, Marrero, LA

LB Giovanni LaFrance, 6’1”, 235 lbs, St. Augustine HS, New Orleans, LA

LB Dee Walker, 6’3”, 210 lbs, Colquitt County, Moultrie, GA

OG Jake Heinrich, 6’5, 290 lbs, Urbandale HS, Urbandale, IA

OG Terrance Malone, 6’4”, 310 lbs, Northwest Mississippi C.C., Senatobia, MS

OT Paul Ramirez, 6’6”, 295 lbs, San Bernardino C.C., San Bernardino, CA

QB Cole Kelley, 6’7”, 235 lbs, Teurlings Catholic HS, Lafayette, LA

RB T.J. Hammonds, 5’11”, 196 lbs, Robinson HS, Little Rock, AR

RB Devwah Whaley, 6’0”, 205 lbs, Central HS, Beaumont, TX

FB Hayden Johnson, 6’3”, 252 lbs, Rock Bridge HS, Columbia, MO

TE Grayson Gunter, 6’6”, 230 lbs, Madison Central HS, Madison, MS

WR Kofi Boateng, 6’1”, 175 lbs, Arlington Lamar HS, Arlington, TX

WR Jordan Jones, 6’2”, 175 lbs, Smackover HS, Smackover, AR

 

Grayshirt Candidate

OG/DT Dylan Hays, 6’3”, 290 lbs, Little Rock Christian, Little Rock, AR

 

Decommitted

OT Kellen Diesch, 6’7”, 272 lbs, Byron Nelson HS, Trophy Club, TX

LB Jordan Carmouche, 6’1”, 230 lbs, Manvel HS, Manvel, TX

CB Joseph Putu, 6’2”, 195 lbs, North Dakota State College of Science, ND

 

Photo credit: WashingtonPost.com; Bret Bielema on the Arkansas sidelines.