Profiles of Razorbacks’ latest basketball signings Wednesday

Here are the bios of Eric Musselman’s first signees to the 2020 class for Arkansas and you can listen to the full teleconference Wednesday on the signees here.

More players are expected to sign before the end of the official signing period August 1.

Jaylin Williams
6-9 / 230 / Forward
Fort Smith Northside

The 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year for Arkansas as well as being both a consensus four-star recruit and top 100 player in the nation.

“Jaylin is another versatile player, one that can play the 4 of the 5, that possesses a well-rounded skill set,” Musselman said. “He can play on the perimeter; he can space the floor, especially with his 3-ball shooting; and he is a good passer. Jaylin is well coached and, like his former high school teammate Isaiah Joe, knows how to take a charge. He is one of those rare players who can go get a defensive rebound then use his ball-handling ability to bring the ball up the floor.”

Williams is the third player in the past four years to be Arkansas’ Gatorade Player of the Year and pick Arkansas, joining Daniel Gafford and Joe. Williams is also listed as the top prospect in Arkansas by 247Sports.

A 6-9 center from Fort Smith’s Northside, Williams was a Arkansas Media SuperTeam pick and selected by Hogville.net as the Arkansas Boys High School Co-Player of the Year with fellow signee Davonte Davis.

Williams added 6A All-State honors by the Arkansas Activities Association and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s first-team All-Arkansas (all classes).

Williams is tabbed as the 61st-best recruit in the country and ninth-best at his position – by Rivals. 247Sports Composite has Williams ranked 72nd nationally and the 12th-best center in the country.

He is ranked 80th nationally by 247Sports. He is listed 88th on the ESPN Top 100 while also earning additional rankings of the 13th-best center in the nation, the 24th-best player in the region and fourth-best player in Arkansas.

This past season, Williams averaged 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds while adding 2.5 blocks and 2.7 assists per contest. He led Northside to a 20-10 record and the semifinals of the 6A State Championship all while maintaining a 3.81 GPA in the classroom.

As a junior, Williams was named All-State and the Division I Player of the Year by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He averaged 16 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks per game while helping the Grizzlies to the Class 6A state title.

In that game, he had 20 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots, which Northside won 44-41 over Bryant. Williams played at Northside with current Razorback Isaiah Joe and the pair helped the Grizzlies reach the state final in 2018.

This past summer, Williams was named to the All-EYBL Breakout Team. He averaged 11.8 points, 10.4 rebounds for Woodz Elite.

Davonte Davis
6-4 / 175 / Point Guard
Jacksonville High School

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A four-star recruit from Jacksonville,rated 83rd on the ESPN Top 100 and the 18th-best shooting guard, 23rd-best player in the region and the third-best player in the state of Arkansas.

Davis was named the 2020 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Boys Player of the Year as well as the Hogville.net Arkansas Boys High School Co-Player of the Year. Davis averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals per game in his senior season. He led the Titans to a 20-5 overall record and the 5A-Central Conference title with a 13-1 mark. Jacksonville also reached the Class 5A state championship game. He scored in double figures every game and had 17 double-doubles in points and assists. Even more impressive, he registered seven triple-doubles.

In other recruiting services, Davis is 98th on the 247Sports Composite and 18th among point guards. Rivals has him ranked 132nd nationally and 29th at his position while 247Sports puts him 153rd nationally and 24th among point guards. He is also #3 in the state by 247Sports.

As a senior, Davis earned his fourth All-State honor and was named to the Arkansas Super Team chosen by the state’s media. Davis was named to the 2019 USA TODAY All-Arkansas first team as a junior as he averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and six assists per game.

Overall, he is a four-time Arkansas Activities Association All-State selection, making the 2019 and 2020 5A team with Jacksonville HS and the 2A teams in 2017 and 2018 while playing at Jacksonville Lighthouse.

As a sophomore, Davis averaged 18.4 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. As a freshman, Davis averaged 16 points and seven rebounds in leading Lighthouse to conference and regional championships as well as the Class 2A state semifinal.

 He played for Woodz Elite in the Nike EYBL.

Jalen Tate
6-6 / 175 / G / Gr.Sr.
Pickerington, Ohio (Northern Kentucky / Pickerington Central HS)

Was the 2020 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and is a three-time Horizon League All-Defensive Team pick … Helped the Norse to a Horizon League Tournament title in 2020 and regular-season championship in 2019 … Set to graduate from Northern Kentucky in the Spring of 2020 … Spent four seasons at Northern Kentucky, taking a medical redshirt season as a freshman in 2016-17 after playing just eight games prior to a season-ending hand injury … Has scored 950 points in his collegiate career to finish 37th in NKU history (93 games with 82 starts), averaging 10.2 ppg for his career … Has averaged 3.7 rebounds with 285 assists … Finished in the NKU top 20 for career assists, steals and blocked shots … Had two career double-doubles.

• Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
• 3x Horizon League All-Defensive Team (2018, 2019, 2020)
• All-Horizon League Third Team (2020)
• Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List (2020)
• Horizon League Tournament MVP and All-Tournament Team (2020)
• Horizon League All-Tournament Team (2019)
• Horizon League Player of the Week (March 4, 2019)
• Horizon League All-Freshman Team (2018)

Junior (2019-20 at Northern Kentucky):
Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and earned Horizon League All-Defensive Team honors for the third straight year … Added third team All-Horizon League honors … Averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals in helping the Norse to a 23-9 record …Played in 22 games, starting 20 as he missed 10 games due to injury … Named the Horizon League Tournament MVP after putting up 37 points in two games and leading the Norse to the Championship … Turned in a dominant performance in a semifinal win over Green Bay with a 23 points – going 6-of-10 from the floor and 10-of-15 at the line – while adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals in a semifinal win over Green Bay … In the championship versus UIC, had 14 points, four rebounds and four assists In his second game back from the injury, had a career-high eight assists with five rebounds at Missouri … Dropped a career-high 31 points versus IUPUI, while also tacking on six boards, seven assists and a career-best six steals … Prior to his career high, had 24 points (9-of-13) with six rebounds and six assists versus Detroit Mercy …. Posted his second career double-double at Green Bay with 17 points and career-high 12 rebounds … Narrowly missed double-doubles with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists at Milwaukee and 24 points with nine rebounds in the regular-season finale versus Wright State … Closed the season with three straight strong performances, including 16 points and four steals at Cleveland State, 18 points and three steals at Youngstown State and 24 points with two steals versus Wright State … Was on the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List … Preseason All-Horizon League First Team.

Sophomore (2018-19 at Northern Kentucky):
Named to Horizon League All-Defensive Team thanks to registering 37 steals and 21 blocks … Showed big improvement over his redshirt freshman season by averaging 13.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game to help the Norse to a 26-9 record and the Horizon League regular-season championship  … Shot 53.9 percent (159-of-295) from the field to rank 54th in nation … Led NKU with 17 points behind 7-for-10 shooting, while adding five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal, in the Horizon League Championship game against Wright State … Earned Horizon League All-Tourney team status … Scored a season-high 30 points in the regular-season title-clinching win at Green Bay, making 11-of-19 shots, garnering Horizon League Player of the Week honors when coupled with his performance at Milwaukee where he registered first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds at home versus Milwaukee … Poured in 25 points, including 22 in the first half, and dished out six assists against UIC … Went 8-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-3 from three in the game as well .. Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.

Redshirt Freshman (2017-18 at Northern Kentucky):
Horizon League All-Freshman Team member is averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game … Horizon League All-Defensive Team member leads NKU in steals (42) and blocks (19) … Posted 15 points versus James Madison and 14 points against Iona to help NKU to a second-place finish in the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase … Recorded a steal in 26 of NKU’s 32 games, including 12 games with multiple steals.

Freshman (2016-17 at Northern Kentucky):
Received medical redshirt following season-ending hand injury … Started each of the first eight games for the Norse, averaging 4.6 points a contest in 18.8 minutes … Played 36 minutes, shooting 5-of-9 from the floor to score 13 points against Morehead State.

High School:
A 2015 and 2016 all-conference (Ohio Capital Conference) honoree for Pickerington Central HS … Led the Tigers to more than 20-wins and district championship as a senior … Averaged 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists a game during his junior campaign.

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Personal:
Son of Jermaine and Jenice Tate … Siblings are Jae’Sean, Jada and Jocci … Father, Jermaine Tate, played for Ohio State and Cincinnati prior to a 13-year professional career overseas … Brother, Jae’Sean Tate, was second team All-Big Ten in 2018 and Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2015 at Ohio State.

Vance Jackson
6-9, 230, F
Pasadena, Calif. (Univ. of New Mexico / Prolific Prep)

Set to graduate from New Mexico in the Spring of 2020 … Played his freshman season at UConn before transferring to New Mexico … Has scored 990 points in three collegiate seasons (92 games with 65 starts), averaging 10.8 ppg for his career … Has averaged 5.4 rebounds with 165 assists while shooting 35.3% from 3-point range (157-444) … Has eight career double-doubles.

Junior (2019-20 at New Mexico):
Played and started 28 games, missing five contests due to a knee injury … Had three double-doubles and scored at least 20 points four times with the Lobos going 3-1 in such games … One of his 20-point games came after he missed the five games due to injury, scoring 20 while tying his career-high of six 3-pointers made (6-of-8) … Prior to his injury, recorded back-to-back double-doubles … First, at San Jose State, pumped in 29 points – going 8-of-10 at the free throw line – with a career-high 13 rebounds (nine defensive) … The following game versus Fresno State, had 29 points, going 6-of-7 from 3-point range) with 13 rebounds once again (a career-high 12 defensive) … Notched his third double-double of the season with 26 points and 12 rebounds on 9-of-16 shooting versus San Jose State in the first round of the Mountain West Tournament.

Redshirt Sophomore (2018-19 at New Mexico):
Named to the 2019 Mountain West All-Tournament team after averaging 25.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game in 25.5 minutes in the 2019 Mountain West Tournament… Was the first player in Mountain West history to earn a spot on the All-Tournament team without advancing past the quarterfinals… Saw action in all 32 games for the Lobos including 16 starts… Finished second on the squad averaging 13.1 ppg and 7.0 rpg … Accumulated 23 double-digit scoring performances including a career-high 30 points, going a career-best 10-of-11 at the free throw line, versus Fresno State on Feb. 16… His 30-point game was the first for a Lobo since 2017… Collected five double-doubles on the season… First career double-double was scoring 18 points with 12 rebounds (10 defensive boards) versus Iona in his second game with the Lobos … Posted three double-doubles over a five-game span … First, nearly had a triple double versus Nevada, scoring 18 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out a career-high seven assists .. Two game later, had 18 points and 12 rebounds at Colorado State … Two games after that, turned in 13 and 10 versus Wyoming … Ended the regular-season with a 13-point, 11-rebound performance at Wyoming … Named Preseason MW Newcomer of the Year.

Sophomore (2017-18 at New Mexico):
Sat out due to NCAA transfer rules.

Freshman (2016-17 at UConn):
Made 21 starts in 32 appearances as a Husky … Named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie Team … In AAC games, led the league in three-point percentage (.484) … Two-time AAC Rookie of the Week recipient … Netted 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in win versus Houston in AAC quarterfinals … Nearly matched career-high with 16 points versus Houston on Feb. 22 … Scored 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting with six rebounds versus SMU on Jan. 19 … Selected AAC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 16 and Jan. 23 … Scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in loss at Georgetown on Jan. 14 … Recorded sixth game in double-figures vs. UCF on Jan. 5 with 11 points … Scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, with 12 points in the second half, against Memphis on Jan. 5 … Scored 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting in win over Chaminade on Nov. 22.

High School:
Consensus Top 60 recruit … Played one season at Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)  …  Averaged 21.7 points, 6.8 rebounds to help Prolific … Posted a 25-7 record and reached the semifinals of the Grind Session National Championships in Lawrence, Kan. … Attended St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) as a sophomore and junior, averaging 19.4 points, 7.1 rebounds … Captured the Division II State Championship … Began his high school career at La Salle HS in Pasadena … Played AAU ball for Dream Vision, averaging 16.0 points per game and shooting 55.4 percent from three-point range during the Adidas Summer Championships.

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.