Arkansas Razorbacks Football

Tanner McCalister announced Monday he has committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks.

I will be Committing to........ pic.twitter.com/GVMyD6AEfC

— Tanner™#⃣2⃣ (@tanmyman0127) June 5, 2017

Listed at 6'0" and 180 pounds, McCalister is Scout.com's No. 189 overall prospect and 18th-ranked cornerback in the 2018 class. He is ranked fifth among Texas and Midland region cornerbacks.

"I am an athlete basically," McCalister said, per Scout.com's Greg Powers. "I can do it all in the defensive backfield. I can play safety, I can go down to corner, I can play slot corner and that is why TCU loves me actually."

TCU and McCalister were linked for most of his process. 247Sports gave the Horned Frogs a 100 percent chance of landing McCalister around the 2017 national signing day, and he admitted they were the leader to Powers.

"TCU is like my number one right now I also actually really like coach (Clay) Jennings (UH Defensive Backs Coach) and him going down to Houston and offering me right off the bat, I liked that," McCalister said. "Both TCU and Houston have shown a lot of love to me and so has SMU, but right now TCU stands out."

McCalister will need to continue working on his top-end speed while keeping his bulk if he hopes to succeed at the next level. ESPN.com measured his 40 time at 4.96 seconds, which won't get the job done against elite talents in the SEC.

McCalister is the eighth player to commit to the Razorbacks in their 2018 class. They currently rank 21st by Scout.com and have five players of 4 stars or higher.

Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams, who suffered a neurological injury during the Razorbacks' spring game last month, announced his retirement from football in an open letter Monday. 

"I’m moving onto the next chapter of my life," Williams wrote. "It’s tough to not be able to play football anymore because I’ve been playing since I was four years old. It wasn’t something I wanted to do or planned on having to do so early. I’ve prayed, listened to my doctors, my parents and my gut.

"It still doesn’t seem real yet, but I really don’t have a choice. I’ve dodged the bullet twice. I realize that at the end of the day I want to live a normal life and be around my family."

Williams, a rising junior, previously suffered a ruptured disc in his neck in October 2015. He returned to rush for 1,360 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and was projected as Arkansas' starting running back for 2017.

Paramedics rushed onto the field during April 29's spring game after Sosa Agim and Williams collided. Williams was motionless on the field for an extended period and was taken out on a stretcher. Arkansas later diagnosed Williams with a stinger, and he had movement and feeling in all of his extremities.

Williams wrote that at the time his grip was "really weak" and he could "barely" feel his arm. 

"My family is the most important thing in my life. The first thing I thought when it all happened was the reaction of my mom, dad, sister and brother," Williams wrote. "I didn’t want them to go through this all over again. I just wanted to stand up to calm them down and show them that I was ok.

"I’ve seen the replay. I saw a normal hit. That scared me. It shows me it doesn’t take a big hit at this point. Any little thing can trigger it. I also saw the reaction of my mom and my sister. That broke my heart. I can’t do this anymore. I want to be able to walk."

Devwah Whaley will be the favorite to replace Williams as the lead in Arkansas' backfield for the 2017 season. 

Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams was carted off the field during Arkansas' final spring practice after suffering an apparent arm injury. 

Per the SEC Network, Williams was diagnosed with a stinger and taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. 

The hit that injured Williams was fairly innocuous. He took a handoff and ran into a defender—who lightly threw him off—before falling to the ground, unable to get up. 

Williams is entering his junior year at Arkansas in 2017. He led the team with 1,360 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season, his first as the Razorbacks' full-time starter. 

A new law signed by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday would have allowed concealed weapons to be carried into sporting events and a variety of other locations within the state.

However, Andrew DeMillo of the Associated Press reported lawmakers voted Thursday to exempt stadiums and sporting events from the law shortly after it was signed by Hutchinson. 

According to DeMillo (h/t MySanAntonio.com), the law will take effect on Sept. 1, but it is likely that guns won't be allowed at the expanded list of locations until early 2018.

University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University officials opposed the initial law and called for the decision of allowing concealed weapons on their campuses to remain with the schools.

Democratic Rep. Greg Leding expressed his belief that firearms at sporting events could be a potentially dangerous mix: "People like to have a good time before the game, during the game, people get emotional and angry during the game. I think the idea of introducing loaded weapons into those situations is just ridiculous."

Byron Hanspard II committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks Wednesday.

He announced his decision on Twitter:

It's a Blessing to announce this and I'm Truly Grateful to God for this Opportunity. #WPS #BeUncommon #BlessedBeyondMeasures‼️ pic.twitter.com/d4bhs3uj9O

— Byron Hanspard II (@bjhanspard94) March 15, 2017

Hanspard is the No. 278-ranked player overall and the No. 16-ranked athlete in the 2018 recruiting class, per Scout.

In an interview with SEC Country's Trent Shadid, Hanspard said Arkansas was alluring for more than just its football team "It's not just football. I've looked into Arkansas' track program, and they have a phenomenal program. It's one of the top in the country. So, if I were to attend Arkansas, I would definitely be trying to get into the track program after football season."

According to Hudl, Hanspard has run a 4.44 40-yard dash and a 4.39 shuttle.

The DeSoto, Texas, native will have a high bar to clear if he's to match the collegiate accomplishments of his father, Byron Sr., who starred for the Texas Tech Red Raiders from 1994 to 1996. As a junior, the elder Hanspard ran for 2,084 yards and 13 touchdowns and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Unlike his dad, Hanspard will almost certainly play on the defensive side of the ball. He has the speed to excel at cornerback and, through his time at wide receiver, he has become adept at playing the ball in the air.

Since he has spent less time at corner than others at the position in this year's class, Hanspard will need some time to learn the finer details of pass coverage.

In another two or three years, Hanspard should become one of the key players in the Arkansas secondary.

The Arkansas Razorbacks' 2018 recruiting class got a big boost Tuesday as 4-star tight end Luke Ford committed to the program.

Ford announced his pledge to the Razorbacks on Twitter:

Coming out of Carterville High School in Carterville, Illinois, Ford is rated as a 4-star prospect by Scout.com with a 6'6", 250-pound frame.

Beyond the raw measurables, Scout.com's scouting report for Ford paints a very exciting picture of what Arkansas has is in store:

Ford has a massive frame, the type of frame that would tempt some schools to make him an offensive tackle, but he shows the run after catch ability and natural ball skills to be a threat as a tight end in college. He uses his height and range and catches the ball very naturally away from his body. While maybe not a "make you miss" guy after the catch, he shows enough foot speed to turn short passes into long gains and is a tough guy for defensive backs to bring down in the open field.

Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has had success developing tight ends in recent years. Jeremy Sprinkle had 380 receiving yards last season and is ranked as the No. 11 tight end prospect in this year's NFL draft by Matt Miller. Hunter Henry was drafted 35th overall by the San Diego Chargers last year.

Ford will continue that tradition for Arkansas when he arrives on campus in 2018, though Bielema has to start producing results on the field after being stuck in seven- to eight-win terrain over the past three seasons.

Recruiting in the SEC is incredibly difficult. The Razorbacks had a strong class in 2017, finishing 27th nationally, but that was only good for 10th in the conference, per Scout.com.

Adding a prime recruit like Ford early in the recruiting process for next year gives Arkansas something to build on in the coming months. He's a talented player who will make an instant impact for the offense.

Cornerback Chevin Calloway, a 4-star recruit from Bishop Dunne High in Dallas, committed to Arkansas on Wednesday on ESPNU. 

The vaunted cornerback is considered the 21st-best player at his position, according to Scout.

The 5'10", 180-pound Calloway has earned high praise from his coach, Michael Johnson, who told Bleacher Report's Damon Sayles in August that the corner was "the hardest-working athlete I have ever coached."

He added: "Chevin is a smooth and explosive athlete who has excellent hips. His press coverage is suburb, and his field awareness is excellent. He is a hard worker who trains like he is the last man on the roster, but that is what makes him great."

His coach isn't the only one offering praise. Luke Stampini of 247Sports added that for what Calloway "lacks in height, he makes up for in technique and ball skills."

That translated to 61 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, one blocked punt and 11 pass breakups in 2016, per Scout.

The fact that Calloway will hit the next level as a fairly polished cornerback will aid him immensely and may help him get on the field immediately. While his lack of size may indeed play a factor against bigger wideouts, Calloway should be effective in both man and zone coverages and also be able to slide into the nickel position, making him likely to be a versatile, steady contributor for Arkansas for years to come.

Calloway was a big get for Arkansas. With Jared Collins and DJ Dean both graduating, Calloway instantly becomes a depth player at the position, if nothing else. Ryan Pulley and Henre' Toliver are the likely starters, while Kevin Richardson will be the favorite to start as the team's nickelback.

That will leave Calloway to compete for reps with Britto Tutt in the team's dime package, while Ryder Lucas and Byron Keaton will also be in the mix (though both are more likely to remain as special teams contributors).

Calloway is capable of seeing the field immediately, though Arkansas also has the depth to ease him into a more prominent role.

The Arkansas Razorbacks have suspended tight end Jeremy Sprinkle for Thursday's Belk Bowl matchup against the Virginia Tech Hokies following an alleged shoplifting incident at a Belk department store in Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to SEC Country's Jason Kersey, Sprinkle was accused of shoplifting items from Belk while the Razorbacks were at the store for a shopping spree that served as one of the bowl game's perks. Each player was reportedly allotted $450 to spend over a 90-minute visit to the store.

WFAA Sports' Mark Lane relayed a list of the items Sprinkle allegedly tried to shoplift: 

Head coach Bret Bielema released a statement regarding Sprinkle's suspension Thursday, per Kersey:

Jeremy's suspension has been known by our staff and players for several days so we've had a chance to prepare our game plan accordingly. Throughout his career and this season as a graduate student-athlete, Jeremy has displayed numerous times the qualities we want to represent our program. We have standards within our family that must be upheld on a daily basis and unfortunately he failed to do that in the last week. Jeremy's suspension isn't drug, alcohol or violence related but one that will cause him to miss his final game as a Razorback.

Beyond the implications Sprinkle's suspension will have for Thursday's game, the reported incident could affect his draft stock, as Optimum Scouting's Eric Galko noted: 

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Sprinkle among the top six targets at tight end in the 2017 draft class, and it's not hard to see why.

The senior hauled in a career-high 33 receptions for 380 yards and four touchdowns in 2016, and he showed off impressive blocking skills along the line thanks to his 6'6", 256-pound frame.

"All four years that he's lettered, Sprinkle has been a mainstay on special teams and played the edges whether split out or as an O-line tight end or in the backfield as a fullback or H-back," the Times Record's Nate Allen wrote.

Sprinkle will need to convince teams at the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine that he's not a character risk following his alleged involvement in the shoplifting incident. If the 22-year-old is able to ease concerns, he could settle in as a mid-round pick in a stacked tight end class.

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Rawleigh Williams. Get to know him better.

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Watch as Arkansas Razorbacks running back Damon Mitchell delivers a huge hit on the kickoff against the Florida Gators.