FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Monte Harrison spent a decade chasing major league fastballs. Now, at age 30, he is turning heads as a wide receiver at Arkansas, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about players at Razorbacks fall camp.
Harrison, a former outfielder for the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels, joined Arkansas as a walk-on ahead of last season after stepping away from baseball. His age and story have drawn attention, but his performance in recent practices has made him impossible to overlook.
In two recent scrimmages, Harrison scored a 63-yard touchdown against the first-team defense and added 45- and 70-yard scores against the second team. In Saturday’s scrimmage, he caught passes for 20, 28 and 53 yards, the last resulting in a touchdown.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman praised Harrison’s work ethic and perseverance through the transition from professional baseball to college football.
“So happy for him,” Pittman said. “You’re 29 years old, and you go back as a freshman in college and you’re not getting a lot of game-time and all that. You’re coming from a professional situation in baseball, it’s hard. I would assume it would be very hard. And he just kept fighting, kept fighting and kept working.”
Harrison arrived in Fayetteville in 2023 after a 10-year professional baseball career. He spent much of the last year reacclimating to football, working to get into playing shape and adapt to the college game. Now, at 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, he has become a key target in the Razorbacks’ passing attack.
“He’s one of those guys you want to go to, like [Andrew Armstrong] was a year ago,” Pittman said. “He really is a guy who has really come on. I’m real proud of him. He turned 30 last week. I think it’s very, very hard. Obviously his physique, his ability and how much shape he’s in is why he’s able to do it.”
Arkansas entered fall camp looking for new options at receiver after losing Armstrong, Isaac TeSlaa and Isaiah Sategna during the offseason. Harrison impressed coaches during spring practice and continued to build momentum through summer workouts and the first two weeks of camp.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino said Harrison’s physical profile and athletic testing numbers stood out.
“When you look at his height, weight, speed, vertical jump, all these things are off the charts for a receiver,” Petrino said. “And you’re over there thinking, ‘We’ve got to get this guy the ball.’ So, we made a conscious effort at doing it and he’s responded great to it.
“He had the most yards receiving in the scrimmage the other day and made two really good catches and runs after the catch. So that was really good to see with him.”
Harrison’s teammates have also taken notice. Redshirt senior left guard Fernando Carmona said Harrison’s presence and performance have been a surprise.
“It doesn’t feel real sometimes,” Carmona said. “You see him out there, he’s an old head. Just the way he carries himself, he’s kind of an older guy, but he goes out there and he balls. So yeah, you kind of do got to pinch yourself, like, ‘Wow, this dude’s 30 moving around like this, feeling amazing, making great plays against prime 21-22 year olds.’ And so it’s all credit to what he does for himself off the field and how he trains.”
Harrison’s path to Arkansas football was unconventional. A standout high school athlete in Missouri, he originally committed to play college football at Nebraska but chose professional baseball after being selected in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He played in 50 MLB games, debuting with the Marlins in 2020 and finishing his baseball career with the Angels in 2022.
After stepping away from baseball in 2023, Harrison joined Arkansas as a walk-on. He spent most of last season learning and adjusting, but his performance this fall has positioned him as a candidate for a significant role in the Razorbacks’ offense.
Harrison’s story recalls those of other athletes who returned to college football after professional sports careers, such as Chris Weinke and Brandon Weeden. His presence comes at a pivotal time for Arkansas, which is rebuilding its offense and seeking new leaders at wide receiver.
Arkansas will return to practice Monday as classes begin on campus. The team’s remaining fall camp sessions will be closed to media and the public. Arkansas will play a mock game next Saturday ahead of its Aug. 30 season opener against Alabama A&M.
Whether Harrison starts or comes off the bench, his experience and production have added a new dimension to Arkansas’ receiving corps. For now, the 30-year-old walk-on has become a symbol of perseverance and possibility for a Razorbacks team in transition.
