Should Arkansas make a run for Wisconsin 2015 RB Signee Jordan Stevenson
Written by Ryan Wright
As soon as former South Oak Cliff High School running back Jordan Stevenson was granted his release from the Wisconsin Badgers a new recruiting frenzy was unleashed. All teams in need of a running back with a scholarship offer left to give from the 2015 class reached out, well most teams in need did.
Per reports the Dallas area 4-star talent was approached by Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Texas Tech, Pitt, Indiana, Oregon State, Louisville, and Nebraska. The reason for all the fuss, from Anderson’s sophomore year he was a play maker on the field coming up with 853 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2013 his role was expanded into that of an all-purpose back rushing for 1,994 yards with 18 touchdowns and pulling down 18 passes for another 348 yards with 2 more scores.
In 2014, recruiting for the 5’8”, 210 pound, back took off after he topped the 2,500 yard mark on the ground with 31 touchdowns and caught 13 passes for another 134 yards with two more touchdowns.
The one-time Texas Longhorns commit had reported offers from Oklahoma State, Alabama, Louisville, Ohio State, SMU, UCLA, SMU, Utah State, and Wisconsin before signing his letter of intent to head to Madison on National Signing Day. The parting of ways with Wisconsin came about after Stevenson did not clear University of Wisconsin admission standards but is qualified to enroll at a 4-year college or university by NCAA standards.
Stevenson reported his recruiting status on Twitter posting, “With all do respect my recruitment is official(ly) open to any Division One program for the 2015 season.” Stevenson then tweeted, “#Badgernation Thanks for all the love also all the support through all I have been through. Much love.”
Of all the schools that immediately reached out a strong connection to Oregon State has already been established. Beavers head coach Gary Andersen recruited Stevenson to Wisconsin before leaving to take over the Oregon State program.
Reports have come out that Alabama head coach Nick Saban has reached out directly to Stevenson selling him on the premise that senior Kenyon Drake and junior Derrick Henry will be off to the NFL come the 2016 season.
Nebraska head coach Mike Riley, formerly at Oregon State, is reportedly selling Stevenson on becoming the Cornhuskers’ next featured back similar to Ameer Abdullah.
No reports have surfaced that the Razorbacks have reached out to show any form of interest in Stevenson despite the previous offer extension. The condition of the relationship formed between Stevenson and Arkansas is unclear but the Razorbacks are in a similar situation as Alabama with the expected departure of senior running back Jonathan Williams and junior running back Alex Collins to the NFL.
Is a phone call to Stevenson worth the trouble?
Arkansas has held steadfast in their approach to recruiting tailbacks to their 2016 recruiting class. The top three targets are Devin White (North Webster HS), Devwah Whaley (Central Senior HS), and Rakeem Boyd (Stratford HS). Whaley visited the Arkansas campus this week leaving impressed with the Razorbacks’ program and facilities. What that means in the grand scheme of things only time will tell.
Water cooler hearsay has White narrowing down his over 30 scholarship offers to Arkansas and Alabama. If playing time is a consideration Arkansas should be the frontrunner. Alabama, per usual, is stacked in the backfield after signing the nation’s No. 1 rated running back in the 2015 class Damien Harris (Berea, KY). The Crimson Tide did lose 2015 4-star running back signee DeSherrius Flowers in a similar fashion to how Wisconsin lost Stevenson, due to academics per reports thus the push for the Dallas area native.
The Hogs only signed one running back to the 2015 class, Rawleigh Williams III, also a Dallas area talent. Arkansas does have a little bit of breathing room in the backfield come 2016 with the announcement that Kody Walker was given a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA making him a junior with two years left to play.
The all or nothing gamble could mean a big recruiting payday when the 2016 class signs their letters of intent or it could mean a lot of catching up on previously overlooked recruits who have already verbally committed to other programs. The concern for Razorback Nation over who will take over for Collins and Williams next year is reaching a fever pitch of its own.
Photo credit: dallasnews.com; No. 2 Jordan Stevenson.