Arkansas is down to one open spot, and all signs point to the Razorbacks trying to finish the job quickly.
John Calipari and his staff have already locked in 14 of the 15 available roster places for 2026-27, leaving just one slot to sort out. The focus now is Caleb Ourigou, the 6-10, 240-pound center who is viewed as the top target for that final opening.
He just finished a visit to Arkansas over the weekend, and the expectation is that he’ll decide soon. There’s even a chance the call comes as early as this week.
If Ourigou picks the Hogs, the roster is complete.
Arkansas has been the favorite for a while, and the fit is obvious from a numbers standpoint: one last scholarship, one last frontcourt piece, one last decision to tie the whole thing together. That’s where things stand as the Hogs wait on the 2027 big man target and possible 2026 reclass candidate.
Here’s how the roster looks right now for 2026-27:
Cooper Bowser, 6-11, 230, Sr., Center
Billy Richmond, 6-6, 205, Jr., Wing
Jeremiah Wilkinson, 6-2, 185, Jr., Guard
Ayden Kelley, 5-10, 170, Jr., Guard
Isaiah Sealy, 6-7, 195, So., Wing
Amere Brown, 5-9, 180, So., Guard
Paulo Semedo, 7-1, 225, RS-Fr., Forward
Jordan Smith, 6-2, 200, Fr., Guard
Abdou Toure, 6-5, 200, Fr., Wing
JJ Andrews, 6-7, 220, Fr., Wing
Miikka Muurinen, 7-0, 223, Fr., Forward
Maper Maker, 7-0, 215, Fr., Center
Davion Thompson, 6-2, 175, Fr., Guard
Ilia Frolov, 6-11, 225, Fr., Forward
The rest of the picture includes the players headed to the NBA Draft and the ones who have already moved on through the portal. Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are in the NBA Draft, while Trevon Brazile is also in the draft and has no eligibility. Nick Pringle has no eligibility as well.
Arkansas has also seen a string of departures through the transfer portal: Malique Ewin, who needs a waiver, DJ Wagner to Maryland, Karter Knox to Louisville, Karim Rtail, Elmir Dzafic to UConn, and Jaden Karuletwa.
The path to this point has moved fast since the season ended with a 109-88 loss to Arizona in the Sweet 16 on Thursday, Mar. 27. The transfer portal opened on Tuesday, Apr. 7, and Arkansas immediately began contacting a long list of targets, including Colorado guard Isaiah Johnson, Utah guard Terrence Brown, Furman guard Alex Wilkins, VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr., Kansas State wing Abdi Bashir Jr., and Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson.
The Razorbacks also completed Zoom meetings with Alabama center Aiden Sherrell and Georgia Tech center Mo Sylla on Saturday, Apr. 11.
Then came a wave of return decisions and commitments. Paulo Semedo announced he was back on Friday, Apr. 17, followed by Isaiah Sealy on the same day. Billy Richmond declared for the NBA Draft on Friday, Apr. 24, then later clarified through his agent that he would return to Arkansas on Wednesday, May 27.
Arkansas picked up another major piece when five-star Finnish forward Miikka Muurinen committed on Monday, Apr. 27. Obinna Ekezie Jr. visited on Apr. 17, made Arkansas his finalist on Apr. 27, then committed to Louisville on Monday, May 3.
The Hogs kept pushing inside with Maper Maker, who visited on Saturday, May 8 and committed on Sunday, May 24. Davion Thompson narrowed his choices to Arkansas, Baylor, Michigan and Vanderbilt, then announced for the Razorbacks on Wednesday, June 10.
Arkansas also added Ilia Frolov after hosting the Russian center and former Real Madrid U22 prospect on Wednesday, June 17. He committed the next day.
The draft picture has changed too. Acuff Jr. was selected No. 7 overall by the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, June 23.
Now everything comes back to Ourigou. One decision, one final spot, and Arkansas could have the 2026-27 roster finished by the end of the week.
In Other News...
Calipari May Have Finally Built Arkansas To Match College Basketball's Giants
Arkansas is heading into next season looking a lot less like a conventional college lineup and a lot more like the kind of roster that can bother almost anybody on the floor. John Calipari has loaded the Razorbacks with length at every level, from guards Jordan Smith, Jr., JJ Andrews and Abdou Toure to wings Billy Richmond III and Miikaa Murrinen, then kept adding size with frontcourt options like Cooper Bowser, Paulo Semedo and Ilia Frolov. Even before a ball is tipped, the physical profile is obvious enough to make Arkansas feel built to match the major programs it has to chase.
The most interesting part is how many different ways the rotation could take shape once the season begins. Smith brings elite guard status, Andrews and Toure add more size and talent on the perimeter, and Murrinen gives Arkansas a stretch forward who can do far more than just stand near the rim. Semedo and Bowser give the staff more bulk to work with inside, while Frolov adds another layer to the frontcourt mix, and the only real cloud hanging over the group is Isaiah Sealy's injury status. For a program trying to turn roster length into a real edge, the unanswered questions may be just as important as the size itself. [Read more 🡒]
Silverfield Just Raised The Stakes In Arkansas' QB Battle
Ryan Silverfield still has the Razorbacks quarterback race in front of him, and it remains one of the clearest pressure points on the roster as summer turns toward fall camp. The competition has narrowed to KJ Jackson and AJ Hill, two quarterbacks who each showed enough this spring to keep the staff from moving quickly, while also bringing different traits to an offense that needs the right fit before the season starts.
Silverfield expects the call to come around mid-August, giving the eventual starter enough runway to settle in before the opener. Jackson and Hill both made their case in spring work, and with camp practices ahead, Arkansas is still sorting out whether the job tilts toward Jacksons RPO style or Hills more traditional pocket approach. For now, the answer is still waiting to be written. [Read more 🡒]
EAs First Rating For New-Look Arkansas Will Fire Up Razorbacks Fans
With College Football 27 set to land July 9, Arkansas fans finally got an early look at how EA Sports sees the Razorbacks entering the Ryan Silverfield era. The new ratings show a program still trying to climb back into the SEC conversation, with the Hogs landing at 80 overall, a mark that puts them 46th nationally and gives them an interesting place in the games updated pecking order.
The Arkansas ranking will probably spark plenty of debate around the fan base, especially with the Razorbacks sitting 16th in the SEC picture. For a team introducing a new coach and a fresh reset, the number feels like both a challenge and a starting point, and it is the kind of first impression that tends to stick with players long after the early-access period begins. [Read more 🡒]