FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The truth about the transfer portal is not every addition can be a former five-star recruit or even an All-Conference standout from a Power Four school who is expected to improve a position group overnight.
Sometimes, the players who make the biggest impact are the ones arriving with little fanfare, overlooked because of injuries, buried on depth charts which limited opportunities at previous stops.
Arkansas added more than 40 transfers out of the portal this offseason, and while student-athletes such as Jahiem Johnson, Hunter Osborne and Chris Marshall steal most of the headlines, there are quite a few who deserve their share as well.
There's a possibility that a handful of newcomers could quietly emerge as valuable contributors once the season begins. Think back to last season, obviously with a different coaching staff, but Mike Washington had never surpassed 100 yards rushing against a Power Four opponent, let alone average more than five yards per carry against someone.
Here are three players the Razorbacks added this offseason who could become key contributors this fall.
Former Memphis wide receiver Jamari Hawkins (9) runs in for a touchdown during the game between USF and Memphis at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
It makes sense that the Memphis transfer would make be expected to make some sort of impact given his familiarity with the offense.
Hawkins finally cracked the starting rotation for the Tigers, finishing second on the team with 38 receptions for 623 yards and two touchdowns.
A former 3-star prospect out of Baker High School in Mobile, Ala, was a second-team all-state performer following his senior season when he caught 59 passes for 1,133 yards and eight touchdowns.
He showed plenty of patience since his arrival to Memphis in 2022, especially when it's easy to enter the portal seeking a fresh start. That's a testament to the loyalty he has to Silverfield and a coaching staff that believed in his abilities early on.
New Arkansas defensive coordinator Ron Roberts looks on during his time at Florida for warm ups prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
New Arkansas defensive coordinator Ron Roberts looks on during his time at Florida during warm against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The 6-foot-1, 202 pound arrived to Auburn as a 4-star prospect who was ranked among the top-200 recruits in the country in the 2023 class. After making five appearances as a true freshman, Scott recorded a pair of tackles while preserving his redshirt.
He would miss the entire 2024 season after sustaining an ACL tear during a summer workout session. Following the season, Scott entered the transfer portal and moved closer to home at Georgia State in Atlanta.
It was there that he played in two games as a redshirt sophomore, making four tackles in his season debut against South Alabama on Oct. 23. He made an on-field appearance against Marshall, but failed to record any meaningful impact on the game.
What makes Scott a rather intriguing addition is how highly he was thought of out of high school as an Under Armour All-American, committing to the Tigers over offers from Texas, USC, LSU, Michigan, Alabama, Miami and many others.
When Arkansas' new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts arrived at Auburn for the 2024 season, he crossed paths with the former prep standout, but knew he was probably playing him out of position due to a lack of depth in the secondary.
"[Scott's] a guy that, when we had him at Auburn, I thought he should have been playing star (hybrid nickelback), and then we, out of necessity, he was playing corner," Roberts said during the spring. "So I never thought he really got an opportunity to be in his best situation when we recruited him.
"That's what he thought he was. Then it came out, there was a couple of injuries and stuff like that, and he really didn't play."
If Roberts can figure out how to keep Scott's mind on the prize of playing time while remaining healthy, there's still a chance for him to crack the rotation and become a significant contributor in Arkansas' rebuilt secondary.
Baylor Bears linebacker Phoenix Jackson (31) against the Arizona Wildcats at Casino Del Sol Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After making a solid impression in his debut game for the Baylor Bears against Auburn last season, Jackson's success became short-lived due to injury. He recorded 11 tackles against the Tigers before sustaining an injury against Stanford in Week Three that kept him out for the remainder of the season.
A former walk-on at Fresno State, Jackson showed he could contribute at the college level with a breakout year in 2023. He made 34 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception on the year for a Bulldogs teams that finished the year 9-4 overall.
That led to him an even better year as a junior in 2024 by recording 48 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and one pick six across 11 games.
His rise from undersized linebacker out of Modesto, (Calif.) to now playing in the SEC is a long, winding ride. Although Jackson missed most of the spring because of an unspecified injury, but Roberts said he should "e able to help and can get himself in competition" at linebacker come fall camp.
For a position that lacks proven depth, Jackson's experience would be valuable to the rebuld of Arkansas' defense.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Three Transfers Who Could Catch Razorbacks Fans By Surprise This Fall .
