10 Biggest In-State Recruiting Misses That Arkansas Regrets Not Landing

Over the years, the state of Arkansas has produced a long list of talented athletes, and in many cases, these star players do the expected thing and take their talents to the University of Arkansas, where they play for the Razorbacks at the collegiate level. Unfortunately for the Hogs, this isn't always what happens.

Whether it's because of another school's recruiting efforts, an athlete that goes under the radar, or some other extenuating circumstance, the Arkansas Razorbacks have missed out on some of the best recruits in the state's history.

Michael Dyer - Running Back, Little Rock Christian Academy / Auburn

For a program known for its talent at the running back position, perhaps no in-state recruiting miss has ever hurt the Arkansas Razorbacks more than the loss of Michael Dyer. Dyer was the No. 1 running back in the country (No. 13 overall player) when he came out of Little Rock Christian back in 2010, and rather than taking his talents to Fayetteville, he chose to attend Auburn, where he would win the National Championship in his freshman season alongside Heisman-winning quarterback Cam Newton.

The Arkansas Razorbacks were in the midst of the Bobby Petrino era when they missed out on Michael Dyer, and there's no telling what sort of impact the running back would have had if he had ended up on the Hill. While Knile Davis was a great back for Arkansas during the same era, the two could have combined for a one-two punch that pushed Arkansas into legitimate national title contention prior to Petrino's dismissal in 2012.

Archie Goodwin - Shooting Guard, Sylvan Hills / Kentucky

Archie Goodwin didn't pan out at the NBA level as many expected him to, but as far as college careers go, the five-star recruit from Sylvan Hills made the most of his one year under John Calipari at Kentucky. In his freshman year (2012-13), Goodwin won SEC Freshman of the Year while leading Kentucky in scoring; meanwhile, the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team went 19-13 in Mike Anderson's second year with the program.

Given that Archie Goodwin only played a year in college, his on-the-court impact would likely have been limited to a single season had he gone to Fayetteville for college. However, Goodwin's decision to forgo the Hogs in favor of Kentucky would go on to haunt the program over the next few years, with other high-ranking in-state guards like Kevaughan Allen and Malik Monk (more on that in a moment) also leaving Arkansas for greener pastures. Looking back, Goodwin's recruitment felt like an early warning sign for Arkansas basketball.

KJ Hill - Wide Receiver, North Little Rock High School / Ohio State

Few Arkansas high school recruits have been more productive at the college level than KJ Hill, who ranked as the No. 17 wide receiver in the country back in 2015. While it's hard to fault Hill for choosing Ohio State after the North Little Rock product ended his college career as the Buckeyes' second all-time leader in receptions (201), his decision to leave the state was a major blow to the Razorback football program.

Brett Bielema was never known for highlighting his teams' wide receivers, but even with Arkansas' run-heavy approach under his leadership, Hill would have given the Hogs' passing offense a much-needed boost in 2017 -- and potentially 2018, if Brett Bielema had kept his job. The Razorbacks finished 7th and 12th in passing yards during KJ Hill's two most productive years in college, making him an easy choice as one of the biggest in-state misses in Arkansas recruiting history.

Keith Jackson - Tight End, Little Rock Parkview / Oklahoma

To this day, Keith Jackson remains one of the greatest high school football players in Arkansas history. At Little Rock Parkview, Keith Jackson earned All-State honors as both a tight end and a safety, as well as All-American honors for his performance on the offensive side of the ball. However, in the end, Keith Jackson would choose to play his college career for Barry Switzer (another Arkansas native) at Oklahoma, dealing a devastating blow to the Razorback football program in the process.

Jackson earned three consecutive All-American honors and won a national championship during his time in Norman, and today, he remains one of the most prolific tight ends in football history. While the Little Rock Parkview product might not be the first name younger Arkansas fans mention when discussing recruiting misses, his résumé makes him impossible to ignore.

Don Kessinger - Shortstop, Forrest City High School / Ole Miss

Year-in and year-out, Arkansas baseball regularly slots as one of the highest-ranked baseball programs in the country -- at least, in the modern era. When legendary shortstop Don Kessinger was attending college from 1960-64, the Razorback baseball program didn't even play its games on the university campus (instead playing at the Washington County Fairgrounds), which almost certainly played a role in Kessinger's decision to attend Ole Miss.

Don Kessinger was an All-American for Forrest City in high school, as well as an All-State athlete in four different sports. His high-profile nature as a recruit made the allure of Ole Miss too hard to ignore, and during his time at the school, he became a star player in both baseball and basketball. While it's obvious that Kessinger would have had a major impact for Arkansas had he gone to Fayetteville, his choice to leave the state is totally understandable considering the state of Arkansas baseball at the time.

Malik Monk - Guard, Bentonville High School / Kentucky

As the biggest in-state recruiting miss in Arkansas basketball history, Malik Monk's decision to attend the University of Kentucky still stings a decade later. The younger brother of star Razorback wide receiver Marcus Monk initially seemed like a lock to attend the University of Arkansas, but as his recruiting ranking continued to climb (No. 1 shooting guard in the country by his senior year), it slowly became apparent Monk's collegiate career might take him elsewhere. In the end, Monk chose John Calipari and the Wildcats before turning in an SEC Player of the Year performance during his only year in college.

With Calipari now serving as Arkansas' head basketball coach, looking back on Malik Monk's decision to leave the state feels more heartbreaking than ever. Monk was absolutely elite at the college level, and his attachment to the state of Arkansas would have made him a superstar in Fayetteville. Thankfully, players of his ilk are now signing with Calipari and the Razorbacks on a much more regular basis, giving Hogs fans hope that future Malik Monk-level prospects will not leave the state as easily.

Willie Roaf - Offensive Tackle, Pine Bluff High School / Louisiana Tech

Arkansas football has missed out on plenty of high-profile recruits over the years, but rarely does a player as talented as Willie Roaf fly under the program's radar. The Pine Bluff High School talent had tremendous size and speed coming out of high school, yet he didn't earn a scholarship offer from Ken Hatfield's coaching staff in the coach's final year with Arkansas, forcing Roaf to take his career to Louisiana Tech.

Roaf would go on to earn All-American honors at Louisiana Tech before being taken eighth overall in the 1993 NFL Draft, earning Hall of Fame honors at both the collegiate and professional levels by the time it was all said and done. Although there's no telling what Willie Roaf's career would have looked like under infamous Arkansas head coach Jack Crowe's regime, it's still disappointing nonetheless that he didn't bring his talents to Fayetteville.

Austin Reaves - Guard, Cedar Ridge High School / Wichita State

In the past 10 years, perhaps no missed recruit has had a larger domino effect for the Arkansas Razorbacks than Austin Reaves. Despite averaging 32.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in his senior year at Cedar Ridge High School, Mike Anderson and the Arkansas basketball coaching staff didn't offer Reaves a scholarship out of high school, prompting the in-state recruit to sign with Wichita State instead.

During Austin Reaves' college career (which eventually saw him transfer to Oklahoma), Mike Anderson went from going 26-10 with a second-round berth in the NCAA tournament to being fired in favor of Eric Musselman. Considering Musselman's performance in Fayetteville, it's hard for Hogs fans to be too upset with this turn of events, but it doesn't change the fact that Reaves could have made a major impact for the Razorbacks had he been given the opportunity.

Jordan Wicks - Pitcher, Conway High School / Kansas State

In recent years, Arkansas baseball has done a stellar job of recruiting at both the national level and within the state of Arkansas. However, if there is a notable miss from Dave Van Horn's time on the Hill, it's Jordan Wicks -- an under-recruited left-handed pitcher from Conway High School who ultimately went No. 21 overall in the 2021 MLB Draft after attending Kansas State University.

Wicks developed a lot during his time at Kansas State, transforming into one of the most talented lefties in the NCAA by his final year with the program. As the single-season and career leader in strikeouts for the Wildcats, Wicks could have given the Hogs the pitching staff they needed to go the distance in 2019. Additionally, he could have also made the perfect frontline partner for the team in 2021 alongside Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy winner Kevin Kopps, which would have been among the most talented pitching combinations in the history of the SEC.

DeAngelo Williams - Running Back, Wynne High School / Memphis

In the 2000s, the Arkansas Razorbacks went on a generational run at the running back position. Fred Talley, Cedric Cobbs, Peyton Hillis, Felix Jones, Darren McFadden, and even Michael Smith all provided major contributions to the program, but there is one major name that could have easily joined their ranks: DeAngelo Williams.

DeAngelo Williams was the No. 25 running back in the country coming out of Wynne High School, but rather than attending Arkansas, he chose to take his talents to the nearby Memphis Tigers, where Williams would earn back-to-back All-American honors in 2004 and 2005. His presence would have provided the perfect bridge between Cobbs' and McFadden's best seasons, providing the Razorbacks with the star running back they desperately needed in 2004 when quarterback Matt Jones led the team in rushing yards (622).

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow