Arkansas’ Week 2 depth chart is out, and after a sluggish season-opening win over North Alabama, the big-picture message is pretty simple: not much has changed.
The Razorbacks head into Saturday night’s road trip to No. 21 Utah with the same structure in place almost everywhere, but one name did pop onto the chart in a notable way. Wide receiver Jelani Watkins earned an official spot after his Week 1 flash, giving Arkansas one fresh wrinkle on an otherwise steady-looking two-deep.
At quarterback, KJ Jackson remains first, with AJ Hill listed behind him. The backfield stays lined up with Sutton Smith at the top, followed by Braylen Russell and Cam Settles.
Arkansas’ receiver spots are largely unchanged as well. Chris Marshall holds the top split-end job, with Antonio Jordan and Courtney Crutchfield listed in the next tier.
At flanker, CJ Brown is still No. 1, followed by Donovan Faupel and Monte Harrison. In the slot, Jamari Hawkins and Ismael Cisse are listed as the primary options, while Watkins is now officially on the chart behind them.
The tight end room is steady, too, with Jaden Platt leading the group ahead of Ty Lockwood and Matt Adcock. Up front, the offensive line remains intact from left to right: Kavion Broussard and Josiah Clemons at left tackle, Malachi Breland and Terence Roberson at left guard, Caden Kitler and Kash Courtney at center, Kobe Branham and Brooks Edmonson at right guard, and Bryant Williams with Adam Hawkes at right tackle.
On defense, Arkansas kept the same order across the board. Quincy Rhodes Jr. is still the lead defensive end, with Xadavien Sims and Caleb Bell behind him.
Hunter Osborne anchors defensive tackle, while Trajen Odom and Antonio Sandel-Bascomb are next in line. At nose tackle, David Oke and Carlon Jones are listed at the top, followed by Danny Beale III.
The linebacker and secondary groups also remain settled. Steven Soles Jr. is first at JACK, Bradley Shaw leads at MIKE, Ja’Quavion Smith is the top WILL, and Khmori House stays at STAR. Christian Harrison and Miguel Mitchell hold the starting safety spots, Jahiem Johnson and Shelton Lewis are listed at corner, and the backups behind them remain in place.
Special teams is unchanged as well. Max Gilbert is the top kicker, Braeden McAlister handles kickoff duties, Gavin Rush is listed first at punter and holder, Adam Johnston remains the long snapper, Jamari Hawkins is the kick returner, and Sutton Smith is the punt returner.
In Other News...
Arkansas Just Showed Its First Real Lineup Tell Before Utah
Arkansas released its official depth chart ahead of its second game of the season against Utah, and it offered the first real glimpse of how the Razorbacks may be thinking about their lineup after Week One. The chart lays out starters and backups across the roster, and one of the notable tweaks is Antonio Jordan moving into the second-team wide receiver spot, a small but meaningful sign of how the staff is sorting out its options early in the year.
The defensive line picture stayed the same after the opener, which suggests Arkansas is comfortable with that group heading into a much bigger test. Utah brings a different kind of challenge on offense, so the Razorbacks now have at least one early personnel clue on paper before they find out whether the depth chart translates cleanly onto the field. [Read more 🡒]
KJ Jackson's Arkansas Debut Left One Big Concern Before Utah
KJ Jacksons first turn as Arkansas primary quarterback came with enough positives to calm plenty of nerves, even if it also showed why there is still work to do before Utah comes to town. The junior helped guide the Razorbacks to a 31-14 win over North Alabama, throwing for 267 yards and three touchdowns while adding a little on the ground, a debut that gave Arkansas a clearer look at what the offense can be with him running it.
Still, the performance was not clean enough to leave the staff fully satisfied. Jackson and head coach Ryan Silverfield both pointed to the need for improvement, and that matters with a tougher test waiting next. Arkansas got the result it wanted, but the debut also left one lingering concern about how ready the Razorbacks are for a bigger stage. [Read more 🡒]
KJ Jackson Gave Arkansas One Reason For Hope Before Utah
KJ Jacksons day against North Alabama started shakily, with an interception in the first half, but it finished with the kind of response Arkansas can build around. By the end, he had settled in, going 12-for-13 for 136 yards and a touchdown after the break, and the offense looked far more connected once he started playing with more decisiveness and pushing the ball downfield.
Ryan Silverfield singled out Jacksons recovery as a major positive, and that matters with Utah up next. Arkansas does not need a perfect quarterback performance every week, but it does need a version of Jackson who can absorb a bad moment and keep the offense moving. The second half offered that glimpse, even if the bigger test is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]