GREAT: Arkansas Razorbacks Land 5-Star Recruit Jahkeem Stewart Over LSU, Bama, Ohio State.
GREAT: arkansas Razorbacks Land 5-Star Recruit Jahkeem Stewart Over LSU, Bama, Ohio State.
GREAT: Arkansas Razorbacks Land 5-Star Recruit Jahkeem Stewart Over LSU, Bama, Ohio State.
Arkansas football recruiting momentum halted as state’s top prospect commits to LSU
Three weeks of excitement and momentum on the recruiting trail for Arkansas football reached a tipping point Thursday morning, and the Razorbacks came up short.
Carius Curne, the top-ranked player in the state according to the 247Sports Composite, spurned the local Razorbacks and announced his commitment to LSU. The 6-foot-4, 301-pound linemen from Marion is ranked 109th overall and the No. 11 offensive tackle in the country.
Curne was previously committed to Arkansas, but he backed off his pledge on March 25. He made an official visit to Fayetteville earlier this month and continued considering the Razorbacks before eventually committing to LSU over Arkansas and Missouri.
This recruiting loss is a huge hit to Sam Pittman and his staff, especially considering how things have been rolling in recent weeks.
Arkansas has landed seven high school commits in June, doing especially well at two key positions. Three commits are offensive linemen, and a pair of defensive linemen announced their pledges to Arkansas just last week when three-star prospects JaQuentin Madison and Caleb Bell made things official on social media. Both defensive linemen are from Georgia, and Bell is rated as the fourth-best recruit in the Hogs’ 2025 class.
Adding depth to the line of scrimmage is always a good strategy in recruiting, but Curne would have been the crown jewel of the class. He leaves a massive hole in star power, and it’s a clear sign this Arkansas class might be the Hogs’ worst in years.
Curne represents the first top-ranked recruit in Arkansas to leave the state since Fort Smith Northside’s Dreyden Norwood signed with Texas A&M in 2021. There are only three four-star recruits inside the Natural State this cycle. Parkview Magnet’s Omarion Robinson is uncommitted, but Bauxite’s Marcus Wimberly is currently pledged to Oklahoma.
Arkansas doesn’t have a single four-star commit in its 2025 class that ranks 33rd nationally. The Hogs landed four such signees during the last cycle, when Arkansas finished 30th.
There is plenty of time remaining until the early signing period in December, but Curne’s commitment to LSU Thursday removes one massive target from the board.
It’s stating the obvious, but Pittman and his staff need a good year on the field to sell to both local and national recruits.
