Razorbacks have cracked Top 40 in early recruiting rankings from services

Comparison: 247Sports perspective

247Sports offers a somewhat more favorable view of Arkansas’ class. According to their team rankings, Arkansas’ 2026 class is in the low 30s nationally (about No. 33), and 11th in the SEC.
247Sports

One feature of the 247Sports composite ranking is that it includes “five-star,” “four-star,” and “three-star” recruit spreads.

Arkansas has few four-stars and mostly three-stars, and no five-stars as of the latest update. That limits how high 247Sports will rank them even in favorable conditions.

What On3 shows

On3 gives yet another angle. Its Industry Comparison chart has Arkansas ranked 39th nationally for 2026, a drop from previous spots (they were around 30th earlier in On3’s lists).

On3 also breaks down more than just national rank: it shows Arkansas at 13th in the SEC under its commit list, and provides metrics like average distance of recruits, percentage of blue-chip prospects, NIL estimates, and how many commits they have.

For example, Arkansas has about 12% “blue chips” and around $18K average NIL value in On3’s data.

Where the differences matter

These differences among ESPN, 247Sports, and On3 aren’t just academic—they affect recruiting perception, fan expectations, and how coaches pitch the program.

If 247Sports ranks them higher, it may help in certain circles; but the lack of consistency between services can make it harder to claim momentum.

Arkansas’ strengths appear consistent: solid in-state recruiting, physical players, emerging names like Dequane Prevo and J.J. Bush, and a staff that emphasizes player development.

The weaknesses also show up across all services: absence of ESPN 300 or equivalent elite recruits, a few decommitments, and needing more “blue chip” or four-star names to move up.

The SEC lens: Peers pulling ahead

Within the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas trails teams like Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Tennessee and others in both star power and recruiting class rank.

Whether using ESPN, 247Sports or On3, those teams often have multiple elite commits and stronger composite metrics.

Arkansas’ No. 39 in ESPN, No. 33 in 247Sports, and similar On3 ranking reflect a middle-or-upper-middle tier in the SEC, rather than contender status at least so far in recruiting class rankings.

What Arkansas needs to do

To improve across all major rankings, Arkansas must:

Key takeaways

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