Even after a 2-10 season, Arkansas’ offense looks like it has a real foundation to work with as Ryan Silverfield takes over. The Razorbacks don’t bring back a ton of starters, but the pieces they’ve kept - and the ones they’ve added - give this unit a chance to stay steady while the coaching staff sorts out the transition.
The clearest strength is up front. Arkansas’ offensive line has the best case for confidence on the roster, anchored by returning veterans Kobe Branham at right guard and Caden Kitler at center.
Both were major reasons the Razorbacks’ line graded out so well last year, and the numbers back it up: quarterbacks Taylen Green and KJ Jackson got 4.16 seconds of protection on average before pressure arrived. Arkansas also held quick pressure to 9.4% and sack rate to 6.7%, while allowing 29 sacks on the season.
That protection showed up in the quarterback production, too. Jackson was sacked twice on 56 drop backs, while Green went down 27 times on 353 drop backs, both improvements from two seasons ago.
The spring also hinted that Arkansas may have found four-fifths of its line. Malachi Breland, Kitler, Branham and Bryant Williams all stood out in the spring game, while redshirt sophomore Kavion Broussard handled left tackle with the ones for much of the offseason and enters fall camp as the least experienced piece.
Quarterback is still the biggest talking point, but the situation may be less unsettled than it’s been made out to be. KJ Jackson and AJ Hill were both rated 4-star passers and ranked in the top-10 of their respective recruiting classes, and both are waiting on a full runway.
Jackson got his chance when Green was injured against Texas and made the most of it, then earned the start in the season finale against Missouri. On a cold, rainy day in Fayetteville, he still delivered the ball on time with crisp passes.
Hill, meanwhile, played in two games last season against UAB and North Carolina State, completing 19-of-23 passes for one touchdown, one interception and taking one sack.
Silverfield is expected to keep the QB1 competition going once practice opens, with a starter likely to be named around the midway point of fall camp.
The backfield also carries more upside than people may realize. First-year running backs coach David Johnson has a group that blends speed and power, and the spring game offered a glimpse of what it can become: Cam Settles, Braylen Russell, Sutton Smith and TJ Hodges combined for 26 carries, 134 yards and one touchdown, averaging 5.15 yards per carry.
Russell, a former 4-star, looks like the veteran in the room after trimming down significantly and appearing ready for a bigger role. Smith, a Memphis transfer who stayed loyal to Silverfield and the Tigers as part of the 2022 class, bounced back from a season-ending injury in 2024 and posted his best college season in 2025 with 1,058 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns. Settles is another name to watch after a solid spring, and Silverfield was especially upbeat about him.
"When I remember Cam, I used to sit there and think of a, 'Hey, he's a lighter back,'" Silverfield said. "No, he's 208 pounds.
I mean, he's going to be 215 pounds before we know it. He runs hard.
He's got great vision. He's one of those guys that we got to see those gradual steps as he understood this offense.
"He continues to understand that, so I've been quite proud of him. He's taken a lot of pride in pass protection as well. Cam certainly has an arrow going up."
Hodges and Jasper Parker, both former 4-star backs, could also work their way into the rotation for a few snaps each game.
Receiver is another room with real talent. CJ Brown returns as Arkansas’ leading returning receiver for the second straight year, but this time he brings far more experience with him. The group around him has size, experience and upside, led by former 5-star Chris Marshall, who had a solid year at Boise State and now has a chance to live up to the billing that made him the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.
Jamari Hawkins, a Memphis transfer and another Silverfield connection, is coming off a breakout 2025 season and should be ready to help right away because he already knows Cramsey’s offense. Arkansas also has Ismael Cisse, who missed all of 2025 with a wrist injury, and New Mexico State transfer Donovan Faupel in the mix. On top of that, Courtney Crutchfield, Warren’s AJ Jordan and true freshman Dequane Prevo add more intrigue.
Tight end is the one room that still looks mostly up in the air, even though Jaden Platt gives Arkansas a solid starting point. Platt was one of the bright spots of last season, catching 21 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore, and he enters this year as the clear lead option at the position.
Behind him, Boston College transfer Ty Lockwood brings a notable pedigree as a former 4-star and top-150 prospect in the 2023 class. He started at Alabama under Nick Saban, then transferred to the Golden Eagles and played mostly in reserve while catching two passes for 30 yards.
Maddox Lassiter, a former walk-on, is back after working in more of an H-Back/fullback role under Petrino last season and is expected to fill something similar in Cramsey’s offense as a redshirt junior. Memphis transfer Matt Adcock also adds depth after appearing in 12 games with seven starts last season and finishing with 12 catches for 70 yards and three touchdowns.
His college path began at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he was converted from linebacker to tight end.
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One of those is a Memphis transfer who already knows the offense, which gives him a real chance to carve out a role quickly. On the defensive side, new coordinator Ron Roberts also pointed to a former Auburn player now at Georgia State as someone whose fit may be better than his old usage suggested, a reminder that Arkansas is still sorting through how all of these new pieces fit together before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
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