Arkansas added another preseason accolade to its offensive line room, with transfer guard Malachi Breland earning All-SEC recognition from Phil Steele’s College Football Magazine.
Breland is projected to take over the left guard job in his first season with the Razorbacks under first-year coach Ryan Silverfield. The 6-foot-5, 334-pound lineman arrives after three seasons at Memphis, where he played in 24 games and made 19 starts at left guard.
His most productive stretch came in 2025, when the Laurel, Miss. native started all 12 games as a redshirt sophomore. Breland helped Memphis average 420.7 yards and 34.6 points per game, while the Tigers also rolled up more than 186 rushing yards per game and finished in the top 25 nationally with 5.05 yards per carry. Memphis also had 84 runs of 10 or more yards, good for No. 13 nationally.
Breland’s work in pass protection stood out as well. According to Pro Football Focus, he posted a 79.6 pass-blocking grade and allowed just one sack across 454 pass-blocking snaps.
His arrival gives Arkansas another experienced piece up front in a group that could become a real strength in Silverfield’s debut season. The Razorbacks bring back center Caden Kitler and right guard Kobe Branham from last year’s team, and they also added Bryant Williams at tackle, one of the top portal pickups in the country this winter. That quartet allowed only three sacks last season.
That kind of stability matters for offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey, who wants an experienced line in front of young passers this fall. Arkansas will likely turn to either KJ Jackson or Memphis transfer AJ Hill at quarterback, and Silverfield’s own background on the offensive line should reinforce the push to build a physical front that can protect the passer and create a steady run game.
Breland’s familiarity with the scheme adds even more value, especially with Braylen Russell and Memphis transfer Sutton Smith expected to split the lionshare of carries this fall. If the line comes together the way Arkansas hopes, it could help the Razorbacks establish a quality SEC rushing attack.
Preseason honors do not change the standings, but they do underline the expectations around one of Arkansas’ most important offseason additions. If Breland plays at an All-SEC level in 2026, the Razorbacks’ offensive line could end up being one of the program’s biggest assets when conference play arrives in October.
Earlier this offseason, senior defensive end Quincy Rhodes was named to Athlon Sports’ second team All-SEC, while Kobe Branham received a fourth team nod.
In Other News...
Quincy Rhodes And Arkansas Line Earned A Big SEC Statement
Quincy Rhodes Jr. is carrying his 2025 breakout into the preseason spotlight, and the recognition fits what Arkansas saw from him all fall. The senior defensive lineman landed on Athlon Sports second-team All-SEC list and Phil Steeles third team, a nod to the kind of disruptive season that made him one of the leagues more respected returning front-seven players heading into 2026.
Rhodes was not the only Razorback lineman getting noticed, either, as Kobe Branham and Malachi Breland also picked up preseason All-SEC mention on the offensive side. For a program moving into its first season under new head coach Ryan Silverfield, that kind of line-of-scrimmage respect matters, and it gives Arkansas a little early proof that the roster still has SEC-caliber pieces in place before the opener against North Alabama on Sept. 5. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Mourns Legendary Razorback Bill Burnett And His Lasting Legacy
Bill Burnetts place in Arkansas football history was already secure long before news of his death in Springdale at 78. A running back for the Razorbacks from 1968 to 1970, he helped drive the program to two Sugar Bowl trips and still stands as the schools career touchdown leader, a mark that speaks to both his production and the era in which he played.
His impact, though, reached well beyond the field. Burnett was a founding member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and later became a community leader whose work extended into Northwest Arkansas and beyond, earning him spots in several halls of fame along the way. For Arkansas fans, his legacy now sits at the intersection of football excellence and a life spent serving others, with tributes continuing to reflect just how much he meant to the people around him. [Read more 🡒]