Prattville wide receiver Kameran Shanks (8) breaks free down the sideline for a kick return touchdown at Stanley-Jensen Stadium in Prattville, Ala., on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. Auburn defeated Prattville 37-29. Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Arkansas Rebuilds Receiver Room With All-Conference Player

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Daniel Shi | Last updated Dec 17, 2024 12:07 PM ET

Arkansas and coach Sam Pittman have begun the process of rebuilding its receiver group. Kam Shanks, an incoming transfer from the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers, committed to the Razorbacks Tuesday, according to a report by Pete Nakos of On3.

UAB wide receiver Kam Shanks has signed with Arkansas, @On3sports has learned.

He posted 656 receiving yards as a true freshman with 6 touchdowns.https://t.co/VxSGJEUisH pic.twitter.com/3vHPZaWmiD
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) December 17, 2024

Originally from Prattville, Ala., Shanks finished his redshirt freshman season with 62 catches for 656 yards. He was tied on the team for most catches and second on the team in yards, on a team that finished 3-9 and 2-6 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC). He also had eight rushes for 50 yards.

When the Razorbacks faced the Blazers in September, Shanks caught five passes for 31 yards against the Hogs. He also led the country in punt return yards (329), punt return average (20.6) and punt return touchdowns. He was first team all-conference as a returner. He also made the third team as a receiver.

Arkansas is still reeling from losing its top six pass catchers for next year for various reasons. The Hogs have just one other receiver so far from the portal, Raylen Sharpe from Fresno State.

Shanks' skills on special teams could also come in handy. A byproduct of losing Isaiah Sategna, the team's second-best receiver, is that Sategna was the team's lone punt returner for just 68 yards. Arkansas finished 14th in the SEC in total punt return yards and 12th in average yards per return.

Arkansas is now less than two weeks away from facing the Texas Tech Raiders in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 27 and will be broadcast on ESPN.