For someone known as an offensive line guru, the last two seasons have had to be embarrassing for Sam Pittman. In 2023, Arkansas was third to last in sacks given up per game, and they’re not much better this season, ranking 119th out of 134 teams.
Since Arkansas hasn’t been able to develop talent for the position, it must resort to finding talent in the transfer portal. Thankfully, they’re hosting one of the best offensive tackles in the portal today: Corey Robinson II.
He began his career at Kansas as a former three-star recruit. However, he’s worked his way up the college football ladder, transferring to Georgia Tech and leading them to a 7-5 record, including a win over No. 4 Miami.
Now, he’s a top-five offensive tackle in the transfer portal with tremendous upside. As a team that struggled to protect the quarterback the past two seasons, Robinson’s pro football focus grade in pass protection suggests he would be a massive upgrade if Arkansas landed him. PFF graded Robinson 92.8 in 278 pass-blocking snaps, the highest in college football.
On the other hand, his run-blocking needs some work. Robinson graded 59.5 in the ground game, which would need addressing this offseason. But with Braylen Russell's departure, the Razorbacks' running back room now consists of smaller-statured players, with redshirt freshman Juju Pope standing out as the biggest back on the roster at 6-foot, 213 pounds.
If Arkansas can't secure a larger back through the transfer portal, fans might witness a shift in the team's offensive philosophy. And if that were the case, Robinson would be a perfect addition to the offensive line, especially with the Razorbacks already making a splash in the transfer portal with Jac'Qawn McRoy.