FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ wide receiver room, once dominated by familiar names, now will require folks to keep a roster handy to figure out who’s who.
Yes, the second year with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino does represent a continuation of his first year, but a whole new cast of guys catching passes.
The Razorbacks’ 2024 campaign ended with a 7-6 record, a season that saw flashes of Petrino’s trademark play-calling, but he can’t execute it on the field.
The Razorbacks’ headliners of Andrew Armstrong and Isaac TeSlaa, who ran out of eligibility. Considering TeSlaa was the first Hogs’ player taken in the NFL Draft in April (in the third round by the Detroit Lions), that may not be replaced easily.
In their place now is a mix of veterans and transfers that flashed ability in the spring, but now that has to translate over to game days.
O’Mega Blake, Raylen Sharpe, Ismael Cisse are the names Petrino and Arkansas coach Sam Pittman hope can spark a resurgence in Fayetteville.
“We have a lot of guys who are hungry to prove themselves,” Petrino said this spring, “and that’s what you want when you’re building something new.”
Blake, a redshirt senior transfer from Charlotte, arrives in Arkansas with a reputation for stretching defenses.
His 795 yards and nine touchdowns last season hopefully same with him to a much stronger competition. What to watch is how consistently he can get open against SEC defenses he’ll see.
“O’Mega is the kind of guy who can take the top off a defense,” Petrino said. “He’s a game-changer with the ball in his hands.”
Sharpe, who shined in spring practices, returns for his senior year, looking to parlay his experience into leadership for a group eager to redefine expectations.
The Razorbacks’ offseason had a flurry of transfer portal activity, which is the way things go in college football these days.
Ismael Cisse, a redshirt sophomore, steps up after a developmental year, while sophomore CJ Brown and redshirt sophomore Kam Shanks round out a rotation that could have potential.
The pipeline doesn’t stop there. Jalen Brown, a speedy transfer from Florida State, brings big-play ability and SEC-level athleticism.
Expectations for Petrino’s offense are high, if not cautiously optimistic. The coordinator is no stranger to high-octane attacks. His Razorbacks in 2011 averaged over 36 points per game and still serves as a touchstone for fans.
That was thanks in large part to a group of receivers that had been with the Hogs for four years along with a senior quarterback that had all been here. Considering they were freshman in Petrino’s first season let’s not start discounting that experience.
This one doesn’t have anything close to that, but Petrino himself knows this season presents a different challenge.
“We’re not asking anyone to be a superstar,” he said. “We’re asking everyone to do their job, to be disciplined, and to make the play when it’s their turn.”
The new arrivals spent the spring learning Petrino’s playbook and developing chemistry with quarterback Taylen Green, now entering his second season.
All of that makes it virtually impossible to project exactly how it will play out at a level of competition most haven’t seen.
Green’s growth may be the key to unlocking the receivers’ full potential. The Boise State transfer showed flashes of brilliance in 2024, particularly on short and intermediate throws, but struggled to find consistency behind an offensive line that often left him scrambling.
If the offensive line is as improved as everyone hopes it is and Green takes another step forward, the trio of Blake, Sharpe, and Cisse could thrive in a conference where big plays are currency.
That chemistry thing, though, is going to require some patience. It is very seldom developed in six months.
Recruiting has also injected fresh talent into the receiver room.
The 2025 class brought in Ja’Kayden Ferguson out of Texas, a 6-2 target with a knack for contested catches, and local product CJ Brown continues to turn heads in Fayetteville after a promising freshman season.
Lanky (6-foot-6) wide receiver Antonio Jordan could surprise a lot of folks. He comes from Warren, Ark., where they grow tomatoes, pine trees and wide receivers for the Hogs.
He’s from the same program that produced Jarius Write, Greg Childs, Chris Gragg and Traylon Burks. Those are just the recent names but they weren’t the first from the Southeast Arkansas town.
Not every story is about youth. Monte Harrison, a 29-year-old former Major League Baseball player, joined the Razorbacks as a walk-on receiver in 2024.
His presence in the locker room and on the practice field is a testament to the program’s open-door approach and willingness to mine unconventional sources for talent.
“I just want to compete,” Harrison told ESPN earlier this year. “Football’s always been my first love, and I’m here to help this team any way I can.”
The 2025 schedule won’t do Arkansas any favors. With matchups against perennial SEC powers and a non-conference slate designed to test depth, the pressure on Petrino’s new-look receiving corps will be relentless.
“We know what’s expected here,” Sharpe said after a spring scrimmage. “We’re not running from that. We’re running toward it.”
Statistically, Arkansas needs to take a leap. Their 2024 receiving numbers lagged behind SEC elites, with the leading receiver topping out at fewer than 800 yards and touchdowns hard to come by in the red zone.
Petrino’s reputation as an builder of explosive offenses gives hope, but execution on Saturdays will determine whether this new batch of pass-catchers can deliver.
It was Blake back in the spring, though, that summed up the whole receiving corps (and the questions) in a pretty simple way.
“We’re all we’ve got once the lights come on,” Blake said. “That bond, that trust, it shows up in the way we play.”
Razorback fans can just add to their expansive list of “hopes” for this season.
The Hogs will kick off the season August 30 at Razorback Stadium against Alabama A&M at 3:15 p.m. on SEC Network.
