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Razorbacks' commit receives good news with new rankings update

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Jacob Davis | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Arkansas Razorbacks long-time commit JJ Andrews received his fifth star in his recruiting ranking Thursday after a lengthy evaluation period this summer.

Andrews enjoyed a dominant Nike EYBL Peach Jam with an MVP level performance during a 75–55 win over New York Renaissance, delivering 20 points, six rebounds and two assists while proving to be the best player on the floor at all times.

Throughout the entirety of the tournament, he averaged over 18 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals for Bradley Beal Elite. His summer homework was enough to push him into 5-star status, No. 11 nationally, No. 4 among small forwards and maintain his status as the top prospect in Arkansas, per 247sports.

His prep resume reads two-time Arkansas high school state champion, three-time all-conference, three-time all-state, MaxPreps All-American, Gatorade Arkansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year and two-time Peach Jam champion which will be extremely tough to replicate.

Arkansas @RazorbackMBB commit JJ Andrews jumped up three spots to No. 11 in the latest @247Sports Class of 2026 player rankings. Check out his latest highlights from the Mamba League Invitational in Los Angeles: pic.twitter.com/yZWRYlxeKF
— Nate Buss Hoop Talk (@n8buss) September 4, 2025

The 6-foot-7, 225 pound small forward is a bruiser who invites contact to finish at the rim, but also has full arsenal of offensive skills to light up the scoreboard from midrange and beyond the arc.

As a junior, Andrews averaged 29 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals per game at Little Rock Christian but fell just short of a third straight state championship.

His recruiting ranking has fluctuated over the past two years as he started out ranked No. 17 overall in Oct. 2023 before falling to No. 37 earlier this summer.

It's clear that evaluations in 1-on-1 and other camp evaluations shouldn't hold more weight than what players like Andrews can do on the hardwood when the lights are brightest.

Andrews' meteoric rise in recruiting rankings this summer is a testament to his desire to be among the best in the country. Former North Little Rock and Razorback 5-star signee Nick Smith, Jr. his star burn bright after seeing his stock drop to No. 52 in Oct. 2020 before rocketing back up to No. 25 within a month.

Smith was still outside the top 10 at No. 17 before starting his senior year before dazzling against a national schedule which included games against some of the best high school teams in the country for the Charging Wildcats on his way to being named the No. 1 prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle.

“Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill”

— Muhammad Ali pic.twitter.com/FhPkcZwGTa
— JaShawn “JJ” Andrews (@JJAndrews2026) August 29, 2025

The Razorbacks one-man class won't stay small for long with several in-home and school visits scheduled with several high profile recruits across the nation.

Razorbacks second-year coach John Calipari doesn't appear to be slowing down in efforts to land multiple 5-star prospects in each class. His staff are set for a busy fall hosting at least three more elite prospects over the next month which should push Arkansas back into the fold for another top five class.

With Andrews latest re-rank, Arkansas has now signed a total of six 5-star players including Bogie Fland, Karter Knox, Billy Richmond, Darius Acuff, and Meleek Thomas, according to 247sports composite rankings.