Razorbacks face wide receiver reckoning as Anthony goes pro in track

The Tylertown, Miss., native had just capped one of the most decorated track seasons in an already-rich Arkansas history.

He was the NCAA outdoor 100-meter champion, fourth in the 200, record-setter in both the 60 and the 100 meters, and a signed contract with Adidas, cementing his future as a professional sprinter.

“Jordan’s a special athlete. He’s got a huge career ahead of him,” said Razorbacks track coach Chris Bucknam. “What a great competitor, in really a new sport for him that he hasn’t gone this deep in since he’s been in college. He did a phenomenal job. I’m really, really proud of him.”

The football side of Anthony’s dual career, though, was just beginning to bloom.

After transferring from Texas A&M, Anthony saw action in 12 games for the Hogs last year, hauling in eight receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown.

His numbers, while modest, didn't show his game-breaking speed, which the coaching staff had hoped would blossom in Bobby Petrino’s second year back calling plays.

With Anthony focusing exclusively on track, Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman and wide receivers coach Ronnie Fouch are left to recalibrate a group already in flux.

“Size, speed, physicality,” Pittman said of his new-look receiver corps this spring. “But we’ll have to find out exactly about them all in spring ball. But I really like that room. We’ve got a lot of new faces.”

The 2025 Arkansas wide receiver group is a patchwork of promise and potential, now without the most electric vertical threat on the roster.

The Hogs have loaded up on transfers and incoming talent with O’Mega Blake, Ismael Cisse, Courtney Crutchfield, Andy Jean, Kam Shanks, and Raylen Sharpe have all joined the fray, while veterans like Ja’Kayden Ferguson and Raylen Sharpe will be tasked with stepping up.

The result is a room Pittmans says “will have the most new faces of any offensive group this year.”

What Anthony brought to the table was not just speed, but the type of speed that changes defensive plans. His ability to stretch the field vertically forced opponents to respect the deep ball and opened up underneath routes for more possession-oriented receivers.

Without him, Arkansas loses its most natural burner. If Anthony was healthy and fully focused on football, he could have become a primary weapon in Petrino’s offense.

Quarterback Taylen Green, returning for his senior season, will have to adjust quickly.

Green showed flashes of brilliance in 2024, but his connection with Anthony was just beginning to take shape.

“We’re finding windows as receivers better than we’ve ever had,” Pittman said in spring. “Our routes are that they have more confidence in them. We’re giving Taylen more options.”

Still, the challenge of replacing Anthony’s top-end speed and threat level is probably not lost on the coaches.

The transfer additions are not without talent. Blake, a former South Carolina Gamecock, brings size and a knack for contested catches.

Cisse, who flashed big-play ability at UMass, is expected to compete for outside reps.

Crutchfield, a former Pine Bluff Zebra star, has turned heads early with his athleticism after spending a year with Missouri.

Jean (Miami) and Shanks (Northwestern State) provide further depth and experience. None have Anthony’s sheer track-star velocity.

The coaching staff’s challenge now is to build chemistry and find the right mix.

Wide receivers coach Ronnie Fouch, known for developing NFL-caliber talent, acknowledges the uphill climb.

“It feels like an NFL room," Fouch said. "You get in there and you hear the questions, the language, the way they talk about plays. It’s mature, but it’s also brand new for most of these guys.”

The loss of Anthony also alters Arkansas’s approach to special teams.

His speed made him a natural fit as a kick returner, and his absence forces the staff to experiment with other options. In a league where field position and hidden yardage often decide games, finding a replacement who can match Anthony’s explosiveness will be an ongoing project.

The wide receiver shuffle comes at a time when Arkansas’s offense is at a crossroads.

Last year’s passing attack finished near the bottom of the SEC, a far cry from the high-flying Petrino offenses of old. Petrino’s return has brought hope, but the Razorbacks will need new playmakers to emerge if they’re to climb the conference ranks.

That hope from Hog fans is based on remembering the playmakers they had 15 years ago. No evidence exists on the field that's there now.

Anthony’s departure is also a reminder of the increasingly fluid relationship between college football and track.

Dual-sport athletes have always been a rarity at the highest levels, but Anthony’s success and his decision to pursue professional track with Adidas may inspire others to follow suit.

“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the communities that helped shaped me,” Anthony wrote in his farewell. “Thank you for accepting me, for welcoming me with open arms and for nurturing me through the many seasons of life.”

For the Razorbacks who already have more questions than answers after spring practice, it's a big one dumped on them.

“We’ve got a lot of guys who want a shot,” Pittman said. “Now it’s about finding out who’s ready to take it.”

Maybe the biggest problem with all that is we won't find out until September. Considering the schedule they have that first month, getting too far behind could de-rail a lot of that hope.

Which is about all Razorback football has these days.