Former 2026 Arkansas commit Bear McWhorter is no longer considering the Razorbacks. Hayes Fawcett of On3Sports reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the offensive lineman is down to five schools: Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Clemson, and South Carolina.
For those who might remember, McWhorter was the prospect who put up a billboard ad proclaiming his love for Sam Pittman and the Hogs. As an eighth grader, his message was, "Coach Pittman, I want to be a Hog," in bold capital letters, followed by the address to his website. Even in his decommitment post, McWhorter showed admiration for the program and its coach.
"Even now, my love for the Hogs and Coach Pitt hasn't changed," wrote McWhorter. "After lots of thought, prayer and conversations with my family I realize I only get to go through this process once in my life and have a long way to go before I put pen to paper."
McWhorter was the second recruit to commit to the Hogs, behind Tay Lockett, who's been steadfast in choice since August 3, 2023. According to 247 Sports, the White, Ga. native is the 437th prospect of the 2026 class and 38th interior lineman, rating him as a composite .8822 3-star recruit. However, Rivals and ESPN rate him as a 4-star, with ESPN ranking him a top 300 recruit (212) and the ninth-best IOL.
NEWS: Class of 2026 IOL Bear McWhorter is down to 5️⃣ Schools & will commit on February 28th, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 10, 2025
The 6’4 305 IOL from Kingston, GA will choose between Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Clemson, & South Carolina
Where Should He Go?👇🏽https://t.co/28maPLtJws pic.twitter.com/c6JPolgWQh
Other than his top five and Arkansas, McWhorter also received interest from 25 other schools, including 11 SEC programs.