Several in-state sophomores to keep an eye on for Hogs' staff

Stewart has received scholarship offers from Arkansas, Missouri, Purdue, SMU, Wake Forest, Kennesaw State, Appalachian State and Sacramento State. Going into his junior year, his 40-yard dash is currently timed at 4.46 seconds and a 35-inch vertical leap.

Central coaches and trainers rave about Stewart's athletic ability and believe he can make a difference wherever he lines up.

"[Stewart] is very shifty but plays super fast," assistant coach Gabriel West said. "He’s just a freak, honestly. You can play him anywhere and he’s great."

QB Hank Hendrix, Fayetteville

The 6-foot-3, 170 pound passer lit up opponents around Texas last year for Boerne High School in 2024 before transferring to Fayetteville when his brother, Hutson, committed as a preferred walk-on fullback for the Razorbacks.

Hendrix completed 274-of-389 passes for 4,237 yards, 46 touchdowns and only six interceptions during his sophomore season. He commands the field with a cannon of an arm that stretches defenses and crisp throws on timing patterns.

He heads into the summer with offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Texas Tech, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Washington State, Appalachian State and many others. Hendrix is one of the highly rated quarterbacks in the 2027 cycle currently ranked as the No. 112 overall prospect in the 2026 class, No. 12 among passers, according to 247sports recruiting rankings. 

RB Zay Stephens, Sheridan

There might not be another skill player in the state explosive as the Yellowjackets do-it-all star. The 5-foot-9, 170 pound athlete put on a show in 2024 displaying elite play making ability as a sophomore under hall of fame coach Kevin Kelley with 2,467 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns this season.

Stephens led all Arkansas sophomores in several statistical categories including rushing, receiving and touchdowns scored last season. He is hitting his stride in the weight room with a personal best 275 pounds on the bench press and was named first team 6A all-conference in track events such as 100m, 200m and long jump.

He has a total of three offers going into the summer from North Carolina, SMU and Arkansas State. Stephens has been invited to several camps this summer at Florida, Michigan and Kansas State.

RB Micah Gamble, Fordyce

Gamble is one of Arkansas' top athletes at any position for the 2027 cycle and programs around the country are beginning to take notice.

Gamble was one of the Redbugs' top playmakers during his sophomore season recording 849 total yards and 9 touchdowns on 80 touches this season. He even made an impact on defense in 2025 with three interceptions returned for touchdowns.

The 5-foot-9, 185 pound tailback has offers from Minnesota, North Texas, Georgia State, Arkansas State and Charlotte.

LB Mario Brownlee, Prescott

If there was any player at the 3A level who could get past the Curly Wolves' defensive line last season they were often met by Brownlee on the way down. He finished the 2024 season No. 2 among in-state sophomores with 117 tackles last season.

The 6-foot, 200 pound linebacker is a violent hitter, moves well in space and utilizes his speed to chase down ball carriers in the backfield. He added another 11 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, two sacks and two forced fumbles to lead Prescott to a 10-2 record.

Brownlee has been in contact with several Division I schools such as Missouri, LSU, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Miami (OH) and Charlotte. He has also been in contact with FCS programs like Yale, UT-Martin and North Alabama.

LB Will Gaines, Searcy

Gaines is underrated within the state after producing 95 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, two sacks, three quarterback hurries, two interceptions and one forced fumble as a sophomore. The 5-foot-11, 210 pound linebacker boasts 4.6 second speed in the 40-yard dash, underrated lateral quickness and can deliver vicious hits to anyone in front of him.

He finished the 2024 season No. 5 among Arkansas sophomores in tackles and stops for loss. Going into the summer, Gaines will have a chance to camp with programs at the FBS and FCS levels such as Kent State, Princeton, Miami-OH, Western Kentucky, Tulsa and Brown.

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