Worried about Arkansas' recruiting? Well here is why you shouldn't......

There is alot of talk right now about the lack of "stars" in the 2010 recruiting class. Most of that talk is extremely negative, but there is a perspective that you look at that should shine some light on what is going on. First of all, you have to look who you have returning. This class isn't being built for players that will contribute as freshmen in all positions.

Safety and D-Line: they are getting kids that can play immediately this year. In all other areas they are going after kids that have speed (which you cannot coach) and high "upside," because most of these kids that sign this year are going to be redshirted and prepared for the future. Most people look at stars and immediately eliminate in their mind the kid's ability. The fact of it is in recruiting you need to look at measureables, stats, competition, offer list, and you have to watch film on them. These are criteria that you must use to evaluate a player. Not what some guy says and places stars by his name.

Next season at reciever you have Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Cobi Hamilton, Carlton Salters, Lance Ray, and Neal Barlow.

Running Backs are Ronnie Wingo, Dennis Johnson, Knile Davis, Broderick Green, and possibly still De'anthony Curtis ( if he choses to not move to CB).

O-Line: Dominguez, Love, Oxner, Oden, Swanson, Freeman, Grayson, and many others that could be named. I say all this to say that if they are signing a kid that happens to be a 3-star player and he runs a 4.4 then why would we worry about it? He isn't going to counted on next year to contribute on the offensive side of the ball. He is being brought in because he has good upside. The need for immediate help is coming in areas of D-line and Safety, where Arkansas is bringing in over the next couple weeks a lot of top tier guys that can immediately contribute like DD Jones did this season.

Some of the help is being brought in at LB as well since Jelani Smith has left the program ( btw we wish Jelani the best of luck). With that there are some recruits in this class that are being brought in to impact the LB position, but only as second or third string guys. Folks, Jerry Franklin, Freddy Burton, Austin Moss, Brett Harris, Terrell Williams are good linebackers. The guys they bring in don't have to be rushed into anything.

So what are Coach Petrino and Co. doing? They are taking guys with the right body and speed to play in the SEC and molding them into what he wants them to be. This class many recruiting guys have said it, "its to meet needs" and with the addition of some new D-Linemen next weekend and they will have done just that in a lot of areas. This class isn't coming in to be a class to help us get to the place where we need to go this year, because we are fortunate enough to have a unique situation where they are recruiting to redshirt. The potential of this class is as good or greater than any class I believe has been signed at the U of A in a while. So I say well done coach Petrino; close out with the upper tier D-linemen and we are on our way to where we need to be. This staff is being assembled to build a foundation at this university that won't be broken so easily.