Breakdown of the Arkansas Razorbacks Wide Receivers Entering the 2015 Season

Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
*Original post-date July 14 on Athlon Sports

The Razorbacks enter the 2015 with high expectations coming off a 7-6 season in 2014 that included a 31-7 bowl win over old Southwest Conference rival Texas. Arkansas’ offense should be the strength of the team with four offensive linemen returning, along with a pair of 1,100-yard rushers in Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins, and a third-year starting quarterback in Brandon Allen.

The swing point on contending for a SEC West title or fighting for a third or fourth bowl seed out of the conference will hinge on the play of the Razorbacks receiving unit.

What was 7-6 last season for the Hogs very easily could have been 10-3. Arkansas used an old school blend of tough nosed defense and a punishing ground game to shorten the clock and wear down opponents. The Razorbacks finished the season ranked No. 11 out of 14 SEC teams with 2,444 total passing yards. The passing game ranked No. 10 in total passing touchdowns with 21 and finished tied for the fewest interceptions in-conference with just six turnovers.

The troubles for the offense happened on those few times Arkansas was stuck in a third-and-long situation. The strength of last year’s team was the tight ends, and will be again in 2015, but more production is needed out of the wide receivers.

Senior receiver Keon Hatcher is the returning team leader in receptions, yards, and receiving touchdowns having pulled down 43 passes for 558 yards with six scores. Tight end All-American candidate Hunter Henry was second on the team with 37 receptions and 513 yards. Arkansas lost backup senior tight end AJ Derby to the NFL. Derby, a converted quarterback, was third on the team with 22 receptions for 303 yards with three scores. Derby also missed two games due to injury.

Arkansas cannot take that next step with the third leading receiver on the team barely producing 300 yards of offense.

Sophomore wide out Jared Cornelius has the potential to do great things in the Arkansas offense. He had 18 receptions for 212 yards with two scores but like all the other receivers never showed breakaway speed or the ability to win a game on a five-yard slant by taking it to the house.

Cody Hollister (13/137/ 1) and Drew Morgan (10/181/1) have been more possession receivers than fearsome targets that require more than one SEC defender to cover.

The receiving unit may receive a boost in 2015 from redshirt freshman wide receiver JoJo Robinson, true freshman La’Michael Pettway, and junior college transfer Dominique Reed.

Robinson was a 4-star recruit out of Miami Northwestern. The 5’11”, 190 pound, speedster showed flashes of brilliance during fall camp in 2014 but various injuries and some off the field complications kept him on the sidelines as a redshirt last season. His speed and playmaking ability could be the balance to the Hogs’ receiving corps needed to offset all the attention given to Hatcher.

Pettway (6’2”, 190) is another incoming freshman who could contribute immediately. Time will tell if the Nashville, Ark. native is a chain mover or a game changer. The big addition to the 2015 recruiting class was Reed. Reed tore it up at Coffeyville C.C. last season coming up with 61 receptions for 1,157 yards, with 19 scores in 11 games.

Reed’s presence on the field for the Hogs fills two much needed gaps, a legitimate speed burner who can stretch the field opening more running lanes for the tailbacks while giving space for underneath routes and he’s a dream red zone target. Listed at 6’4”, 185 pounds, and with 4.3 speed in the 40-yard dash, the Camden, Ark. native could be the big piece of the puzzle that helps push the Hogs from pretender to contender in 2015.

Difference Makers
Another key factor in the Razorback passing attack in 2015 is new offensive coordinator Dan Enos. While many of the Arkansas spring practices were closed off, word around the water cooler is Enos intends to throw the ball more and spread out the defense. The running backs are supposed to be featured in the passing game as well, something not utilized at all under former OC Jim Chaney.

The potential for game changers with the Razorbacks continues especially at tight end. Arkansas, without question, signed the best group of tight ends in the 2015 recruiting class landing 4-star Will Gragg, under rated 3-star Austin Cantrell, and 4-star C.J. O’Grady.

The player feeling the strain for the light bulb to go off right away is junior tight end Jeremy Sprinkle. Sprinkle (6’6”, 243) has flashed streaks of talent over the past two years but has not been able to put it all together. The White Hall, Ark. native had a really good spring which could mean the Hogs are in business spreading out linebackers and safeties with two pass receiving tight ends that can also get after it in the run game.

Two other players that have a shot at making some noise are Kendrick Edwards and Deon Stewart. Edwards (6’5”, 212) had a small sample size of production as a true freshman last season but averaged 17.5 yards per catch with one score turning four receptions into 70 yards. Edwards is suspended from the team but could return if he fulfills obligations laid out by head coach Bret Bielema.

Stewart has nothing to lose going into his freshman season. Often overlooked despite recording 49 receptions for 1,005 yards with 11 touchdowns during his senior year, the former Highland High School star has a lot of upside without the pressure of producing from the moment he steps foot on campus. Listed at 6’1”, 165 pounds, with 4.48 speed, Stewart could be the speedy receiver in the slot that makes enough plays here or there that add up to wins by season’s end.

Photo credit: wholehogsports.com; No. 17 JoJo Robinson