Most of the buzz around Arkansas’ tight end room this offseason has centered on Jaden Platt’s physical makeover, but Ty Lockwood is starting to force his way into the conversation.
The Boston College transfer and former Alabama signee has been flashing in recent practice clips, and Sunday gave him a bigger stage. After the Razorbacks’ first scrimmage of fall camp, Silverfield made it clear Lockwood has caught his eye.
“Everybody knows Jaden Platt is our tight end," Silverfield said Sunday after the scrimmage. "A name I haven’t mentioned is Ty Lockwood.
He’s done a really nice job and continues to make some exceptional catches out there. He does a good job in the run game.”
That kind of praise matters, especially with Maddox Lassiter dealing with an injury and Arkansas needing someone else to step up behind Platt. Lockwood, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end from Thompson's Station, Tenn., arrived with plenty of recruiting shine even if his college production has lagged behind it. ESPN ranked him as the No. 136 player in the country, the No. 4 tight end and the No. 2 prospect in Tennessee coming out of high school.
The question has always been whether that high school pedigree would finally translate once he got another shot. If it does, Arkansas may have found another transfer who can thrive in Morgan Turner’s tight end room, much like Platt and Montana State transfer Rohan Jones did last season. Jones averaged over 27 yards per reception in 2025.
Silverfield also singled out a couple of younger players who have been making noise in camp.
Freshman defensive back Brandon Ford, who has mostly worked with the third unit in the secondary, has already forced a couple of turnovers. That lines up with what he did at Crowley High School in Texas, where the 5-foot-11, 193-pound corner piled up six career turnovers, including five interceptions and more than a dozen pass breakups.
"I haven't talked too much about freshmen. Brandon Ford is a guy that - he keeps catching your eye," Silverfield said.
"So often you're like, 'Who's that? That's that freshman.'
Man, been pleased with him and what he's been able to do."
Redshirt freshman running back Markeylin Batton also drew notice after a productive day. Silverfield said, "Markeylin Batton actually stepped up today and did some good things," and added, "He's No. 25 for us in the running back room.
Batton entered the program as a 4-star speedster from Atlanta, Texas, and his prep résumé shows why the staff is interested. He rushed for 2,217 yards and 32 touchdowns, then added 817 receiving yards and 11 more scores as a pass catcher. That kind of versatility gives him a real chance to get on the field early under offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey.
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