Arkansas has a new speed piece in the building, and coach Ryan Silverfield isn’t hiding how much that matters.
The Razorbacks brought in LSU transfer Jelani Watkins and Georgia track standout Maurice Gleaton as they try to give offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey’s scheme a different kind of juice. For Silverfield, Watkins’ appeal starts with the obvious: he can fly. But the real question is what happens once the ball is in his hands and the contact starts.
“At the wide receiver position, we have a bunch of guys who are capable of playing football at a high, high level,” Silverfield said Monday. “Jelani Watkins has just gotten added to us.
Obviously, it goes without being said. Like we're really excited about his speed.
But what can he do with the football in his hand and and take care of that? We haven't seen him with contact.
He's not the the heaviest of guys.”
Watkins, listed at 5-foot-11 and 163 pounds, was used sparingly at LSU over the last couple of seasons, but he arrived in Fayetteville with plenty of pedigree. He was one of Brian Kelly’s top recruits and came into the 2024 cycle ranked No. 106 nationally by ESPN, No. 5 among receivers and No. 19 among Louisiana athletes.
His track résumé is every bit as loud. Watkins swept the 100-meter and 200-meter titles at the SEC Outdoor Championships and broke a 21-year-old school record in the 200-meter with a 19.87-second run. He also qualified for nationals in the 100 meters with an 10.03.
Silverfield said Arkansas handled Watkins carefully while he balanced track and football, and that the wideout was still making an effort to stay plugged in.
“Yeah. So for Jelani, we made a deal.
Obviously, world-class track athlete, that when he was at track, his focus could be at track,” Silverfield said. “Now, to the kid's credit and the young man's credit, he showed up at some of those winter workouts early in the morning to just stand there and watch.
“Now we weren't going to beat down his body because he had the ability to go out there and run on a national level, but [said] "Make sure you're studying the playbook when you have a chance on a Saturday night. Hey, look in your iPad.
Make sure you're getting that.' So, to his credit, it's not like he was that far behind.
There's a big difference between studying a playbook, a paper copy, or watching film, or sitting on some meetings, and then going out there and doing it.”
Now comes the part that matters most: turning that preparation into actual production once fall camp gets rolling. Silverfield wants to see whether Watkins can separate, absorb contact and make his speed matter beyond the stopwatch.
“His first time actually jogging and running through routes was these OTAs. But to give him credit, he's smart. He asked questions, so he's a young man that you hope has that ability to come and impress on those other guys that have been here, because he can run.”
Watkins could also find a lane on special teams, where kickoff returns may give him a quick path onto the field behind running back Sutton Smith. He returned two kickoffs for 35 yards, and special teams coordinator Chad Lunsford has already flagged him as the kind of player worth exploring in that role.
“Anytime you’ve got that type of speed, you want to see if he can be that dynamic returner for you,” Lunsford said of Watkins during the spring. “When you go into the philosophy of kickoff return and punt return, first and foremost that our team should be able to tell you, and hopefully by training camp, they will know how to tell you that the whole goal on both teams is to possess the ball, period.
“Give the ball to the offense. That’s what we’re doing.
But anytime that you get a dynamic guy, you want to take advantage of that. So I think Jelani, he’s definitely a guy that we want to take a look at just because of his speed.
If he catches the ball really well as a returner, that would be something that we would want to look at.”
In Other News...
Arkansas Has A Malique Ewin Twist Fans Need To Watch
A Colorado judges order could ripple through college basketballs transfer landscape, and it has already put a familiar Arkansas name into the conversation. Malique Ewin is among the players affected by the ruling granting an extra year of eligibility to Class of 2022 athletes who used up four seasons, and his situation is part of a wider wave that also includes Villanovas Duke Brennan exploring a fifth year and former Oregon guard Takai Simpkins moving toward that same extra season.
For Arkansas fans, the wrinkle is easy to see and hard to ignore. The courts clarification narrowed the extension to players who remain at the same school, which makes the final NCAA response especially important for Ewin and for any team following his next move. He has already announced his intent to transfer to Oregon, but everything now hinges on how the eligibility ruling is ultimately applied. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Faces One QB Decision Fans Have Seen Go Wrong Before
With Week 1 against North Alabama drawing near, Arkansas is still weighing its quarterback options with KJ Jackson and AJ Hill at the front of the competition. Sam Pittman and analyst Ryan Silverfield both have made it clear the goal is not just to pick a starter for opening day, but to settle on someone who can handle the job as the season moves along.
That kind of stability matters around here because the last time Arkansas drifted into a quarterback shuffle, it never found much rhythm. The staff knows injuries and performance can always force change, but the hope is to avoid turning the position into a weekly question again, especially with a real test waiting soon after the opener. [Read more 🡒]
These Razorbacks Could Decide How Fast Arkansas Turns Things Around
Arkansas enters the new season with a handful of players who could shape how quickly the program climbs back into the SEC picture, and the list is not short on intrigue. Linebacker Bradley Shaw, running back Braylen Russell, quarterback KJ Jackson, wide receiver Chris Marshall, safety Wyatt Simmons and cornerback Jahiem Johnson are all being tracked as possible breakout names, each carrying a different kind of importance for a roster that needs more playmakers, more stability and more confidence in key spots.
The mix is what makes it interesting for the Razorbacks. Jacksons growth at quarterback matters because the offense needs direction, while Russell and Marshall could give it more punch if their talent translates into consistent production. On the other side of the ball, Shaw, Simmons and Johnson could help change the tone of the defense, and transfer defensive tackle Hunter Osborne adds another layer with his leadership development. If even a few of those pieces take a real step forward, Arkansas has a chance to change the feel of its season faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]