Arkansas spent spring practice talking up Ismael Cisse as one of the most dependable pieces in the passing game, even though fans never really got the chance to see much of him. The Red-White Game was wiped out by severe weather, and Cisse’s own preparation for the 2025 season hit a major snag when torn ligaments in his wrist required surgery and effectively shut down his redshirt sophomore year before it could begin.
That’s a frustrating turn for a receiver who looked like he was building real momentum at Stanford. Through the first six games of 2024, Cisse had 24 catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Then his role faded late, and he finished with just two more receptions the rest of the way.
“I’m 100% back now, so I’m definitely blessed for that,” Cisse said during an April 11 press conference. “I hated that I got hurt last year, but it is what it is.
God taught me a lot that I wouldn’t have learned if I didn’t get hurt... I’m just hungry, just ready to be back and be the best I can for the team."
This spring, Cisse worked in the slot with Memphis transfer Jamari Hawkins behind him on the depth chart. New coach Ryan Silverfield already knew what he was getting, having recruited Cisse during his time at Memphis and studied his Stanford tape.
“I went back and I remember watching his film from Stanford,” Silverfield said during spring practice. “At my previous stop I watched his film and was always, ‘This kid’s productive,’ and the word was, as a wide receiver he was consistent.
“He’s not the tallest or the fastest, but man, he’s a fantastic route runner. He’s smart.
He can block and he’s consistent. I think what’s happened is now we’re getting to see … what he looks like day after day and I think we’re seeing a really consistent wide receiver, somebody we’re going to rely a lot on.”
That kind of steadiness matters for Arkansas, especially with KJ Jackson and AJ Hill both stepping in as first-time SEC starters. The Razorbacks do have some experience around them: Chris Marshall, Jamari Hawkins and Donovan Faupel have all produced at previous stops, while CJ Brown returns as the team’s leading receiver.
There’s also a group of unproven options waiting for a bigger opportunity - Courtney Crutchfield, Antonio Jordan, Dequane Prevo and Jelani Watkins - each with the tools to become SEC weapons, even if they haven’t done it at the college level yet.
Wide receivers coach Larry Smith has been just as impressed with Cisse’s game and the way he handles himself.
“[Cisse] is very, very smart,” Smith said during the spring. “He loves ball.
He does a great job of taking notes. He’s physical, he’s tough and he catches the football.
I think sometimes we lose sight of that.
"As receivers, we get paid to catch the rock and he simply catches the ball, whether it’s wide open, contested. He plays a lot bigger than his true size. But Ish is a joy to coach because he loves the game, he has a great personality.”
A former 3-star recruit from Englewood, Calif., Cisse entered college ranked No. 1,104 overall in the 2023 class, No. 157 among wide receivers and No. 7 athlete in Colorado, according to the 247sports composite rankings. Now Arkansas is counting on the same traits that got him here: reliability, toughness and steady production.
In Other News...
Arkansas Is Sending A Stunning Number Of Hogs To Summer League
The Arkansas pipeline to NBA Summer League is about as crowded as it gets this year, with 11 former Razorbacks set to suit up for various pro teams. The group includes three recent draft picks in Darius Acuff Jr., Meleek Thomas and Trevon Brazile, along with a familiar mix of former Hogs such as Adou Thiero, Jonas Aidoo, Johnell Davis, Ricky Council, Au'Diese Toney and Nick Pringle.
For Arkansas fans, the bigger picture is the range of paths these players are taking into the next stage. Some are arriving with the momentum of draft night, others are trying to turn a summer invite into a longer look, and a few are landing in situations where they will be sharing the floor with former teammates. It gives the Razorbacks a rare kind of July visibility, with so many ex-Hogs spread across the league and each one carrying a little more intrigue than a typical summer roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
Darius Acuff Jr. Showed Arkansas Fans Exactly Why His Debut Felt Huge
Darius Acuff Jr.s first NBA Summer League game for the Sacramento Kings gave Arkansas fans a pretty clear preview of why his debut carried so much buzz. The former Razorback put up 25 points with four assists, one rebound and one steal against the Brooklyn Nets, and even though the shot didnt fall early, he kept working his way into the game and found ways to help Sacramento on both ends.
Acuff opened 1-for-10 from the field before settling in and finishing 9-for-29, and his night wasnt just about scoring volume. He forced turnovers while guarding ballhandlers, showed enough poise to keep making plays after the rough start and helped set up a crucial late three-pointer as the Kings pulled out the win. [Read more 🡒]