Arkansas Razorbacks Football: Franks Leading the Quarterback Derby

The Arkansas Razorbacks over the past three years have struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position.

Razorback fans are hoping that Florida transfer Feleipe Franks can come in and claim the starting quarterback job. Arkansas has depth at the quarterback position, but it is largely unproven, and the confidence will need to be built up, after several disastrous seasons in Fayetteville.

COVID-19 has made the new staff at Arkansas jobs even more difficult. Arkansas did not get a spring to evaluate the quarterback, so everything has been rushed in terms of preparing to play an SEC schedule. Franks had improved every season at Florida before his 2019 season was ended after Franks was carted off the field against Kentucky. Throughout his career at Florida, Franks passed for 4,593 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.

Franks’ body of work in the SEC has been on the upswing. A year at Arkansas with a young team could either damage his NFL draft stock or propel him up draft boards. Franks will have the weapons at wide receiver to work the ball down the field. Arkansas will have Mike Woods, Trey Knox, and Treylon Burks all returning this season, and all have shown they belong in the SEC. Burks has the speed to stretch any defense and the athletic ability to high point the football.

Arkansas appears to have the talent needed at the skilled positions to start to pull out of the ditch that they are currently sunk into. Franks has the talent to extend plays and find the open wide receiver, but the offensive line is going to have to improve for Arkansas to rack up some SEC wins. Franks has shown in the past that he is not afraid to carry the football and put his body on the line. We will focus on the offensive line later in the week, as we continue to examine the Razorbacks’ roster.