Razorback defensive line shallow in experience, depth but built for war in the trenches

If most gridiron battles are decided in the trenches, the Arkansas Razorbacks will likely go into the 2025 season with disadvantages in experience and depth. But whether late reinforcements can be found in the transfer portal or not, defensive coordinator Travis Williams is prepared to take the field with the manpower at his disposal.

Only senior nose tackle Cameron Ball returns from last season with any starting experience to speak of. The rest of the projected starters are led by promising 6-6, 270-pound sophomore defensive end Quincy Rhodes who saw spot duty last season as an edge pass rusher opposite Landon Jackson who is waiting to hear his name called in the upcoming NFL Draft.

"I don’t see it as pressure. We just play football," Third-year Razorback defensive coordinator Travis Williams said of Rhodes. "He’s talented enough. He just has to have the right attitude. Landon is going to be Landon and Quincy is going to be Quincy. Landon is going to play on Sundays and hopefully Quincy will too. Quincy just has to be the best verision of himself. Anytime you try to be somebody else, you just rob the gift that the Good Lord gave you. Man, just be yourself."

RAZORBACK 2025 SPRING DEFENSIVE LINE DEPTH CHART

Ball, a 6-5 326-pound three-year starter out of Atlanta, GA, is joined along the interior defensive front atop the current depth chart by mammoth red-shirt sophomore Ian Geffrard (6-5, 388) out of Mableton, Ga. Meanwhile, Rhodes is currently slotted to play opposite a fellow four-star in-state recruit in sophomore Charlie Collins (6-5, 255) on the outside.

Rhodes, Geffrard and Collins have only Rhodes' start against Texas Tech in the 2024 Liberty Bowl between them.

"We don’t have the depth that we would have when you go out there in the Spring," Razorback defensive coordinator Travis Williams said. "For us defensively, — when I talk to the staff — we are football coaches. You can complain about the depth or you can coach guys and get guys better. So we have just been focusing on who is out there and let’s get them better."

Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman highlighted the need to add depth on defense at the start of Spring practices. Pittman said back on March 20th that he would like to see Arkansas add at least one player on each level of the defense when the portal reopens next week on April 16th and closes on April 25th.

In the meantime, Williams said he was pleased with the progress of the players currently still on the roster.

"You can see the defense is getting better as a whole," he said. "We’ve got guys out with injuries and things like that but if you’re a football coach, you just coach football. Don’t complain. It is what it is and at the end of the day, nobody cares anyway. 

"We've just go out there and try to get better and they actually have gotten better. Now, we can go out there and get different pieces and things like that but defensively I’m pleased with the growth of the defense overall."

Defensive end

Shoring up the defensive front, Arkansas has former four-star redshirt junior Ken Talley (6-3, 257) backing up Rhodes at left defensive end. The Alabama native was listed as the No. 8 overall linebacker in the country coming out of high school and chose Arkansas over Alamba, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia and Notre Dame among a list of other programs.

Competing with Collins for the starting right side position is Justus Boone — a 6-4, 266 pound redshirt senior who transferred from the University of Florida. Collins was also a four star recruit coming out of high school in South Carolina. Boone played in 11 games last season for the Gators while recording 10 tackels and a half a sack.

Also in the mix at defensive end is 6-3, 263 pound freshman out of Turrell, Texas Keiundre Johnson. Although only a three-star prospect with offers from LSU, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and Southern California among other schools, Johnson's athleticism by running a 23.28 in the 200 meters, squatting over 400 pounds and a 4.5 second 40 yard dash got the attention of college scouts around the country.

"It's the younger ones," Rhodes said. "They're definitely improving — basically in the same position I was my freshman year going into my sophomore year. It's just under understanding the game more and missing locking in on the game and technique wise. So they're definitely improving every day.

"You got Talley and Boone that came in out of the portal. They're doing extremely well, just focusing on remembering plays and focusing on their assignments as well. So everyone's doing as well."

NOSE TACKLE

In the interior the same dynamics are in play. Ball, who had elbow surgery earlier this year and is being held out of spring scrimmages, has continued to play at a very respectable level since getting into the playing rotation as a freshman. In 2024, he recorded the best numbers of his career with 47 total tackles with four tackles for losses of 18 total yards with one and a half sacks.

The question is who will replace Eric Gregory, who is expected to be taken in the NFL draft as well, and who will join them in the playing rotation inside? What the options may be lacking in experience and rankings might be made up in sheer size.

In addition to Geffrand, junior college transfer by way of Brigham Young, Dany Salli tips the scales at 6-3, 375 pounds. Saili saw mostly spot duty in his first year with the Razorbacks last season, but is expected to be counted on in year two.

Abeliene Christian senior transfer David Oke (6-2, 312) isn't as big as Arkansas' other interior defenders but brings considerable experience — even if it's from the non-Power 5 level. He tallied 63 tackles last season — with 9.5 tackles for negative yardage. He also had six quarterback pressures a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Freshman Kevin Oatis (6-3, 288) — a four star prospect out of Mississippi — could also see time in the defensive tackle rotation. Oatis had scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU and his home state SEC schools in addition to Arkansas.

"The game is slowing down for (Salli). He’s listening to (defensive line) coach (Deke) Adams and you can see him getting better," Williams said. "Ian Geffard is getting better. So is Quincy and Charlie. The whole defensive line. I’m very pleased with where Danny is at."

"Everybody on defense is getting better. We will know more after the scrimmage. Obviously we have some more practices and we will see guys on through the spring. There’s no substitute for seeing guys tackle and run to the ball but we’ will know more after the spring game. "

Arkansas' annual Spring Scrimmage will take place Saturday, April 19th in Donald Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Williams said Pittman will be in a better position to determine what the team needs out of the portal at that time.

"We know a certain number we are looking for," Williams said. "Coach Pittman has given the defense a number to use and we are definitely going to go get them."