Helping Cook The Class

In his weekly recruiting column, Dudley E. Dawson checks in with Arkansas OL commit Brey Cook (6-7, 310) on how he will be both a recruit and recruiter this weekend as the Razorbacks host a bevy of talented junior college and high school prospects for official visits. This story is free and sponsored by the Arkansas Toyota Dealers. Click on the Arkansas Toyota banner.

One of the biggest and best prospects on campus this weekend will also be one of the biggest and best recruiters.

Springdale Har-Ber standout and Arkansas offensive line commit Brey Cook (6-7, 310) is one of a dozen or so recruits the Razorbacks will host for official visits beginning today.

Cook, a 5-star prospect who is a mid-term graduate and thus will be able to go through 2011 spring practice, will be in the ears of others telling them why they should join him at Arkansas.

“That was one of the things I really thought about in committing early – to be able to help with recruits, talk to recruits into coming over and talking them into coming to play with me,” Cook said. “This weekend is going to be a great opportunity for me to do that. There is a bunch of great guys coming in who maybe have not seen the UA yet or kind of balancing the UA and somebody else. I hope to be a part of helping them with their decision to be Razorbacks.”

Arkansas already has commits from the state’s three best offensive linemen in Cook, Springdale’s Mitch Smothers (6-4, 295) and Bentonville’s Marcus Danenhauer (6-6, 318).

The Razorback staff will be trying to add a few more this weekend with a pair of junior college standouts – former Tennessee starter and current Arizona Western College standout and Aaron Douglas (6-4, 285) and Glendora (CA) Citrus CC star Jason Peacock (6-5, 325).

Arkansas is also hoping to flip LSU commit Trai Turner (6-4, 330), one of the nation’s best prep stars and someone who is slated to take an official visit this weekend as well.

“Marcus and Mitch played great this season and we have some coming in this weekend that I have already talked to and are ones that Coach K wants me to really focus on,” Cook said. “I am going to try my hardest into talking them into committing.”

Other recruits expected in this weekend include a pair of Razorback defensive line commits in Coffeyville (KS) CC Robert Thomas (6-3, 330) and Nowata (OK) star Austin Beck (6-8, 295).

There’s also a trio of linebackers expected in with Arkansas commit Alonzo Highsmith (6-1, 215) joined by North Carolina Tech prep star Tyler Gilbert (6-3, 230) and Lithonia (GA) defender Cedric Cooper (6-2, 207).

Another Georgia standout due in is Bainbridge athlete Rohan Gaines (5-11, 180) while TE/DE Jack Tabb (6-4, 235) of Red Bank (NJ) Catholic and Irving (Texas) DE Horace Arkadie (6-4, 230) are also scheduled.

Har-Ber won the 2009 Class 7A state title, but fell to Bentonville in this season’s state semifinals.

Cook knew he was committing to a program on the rise and that was validated with Arkansas going 10-2 and grabbing a BCS berth with a invite to the Sugar Bowl.

“I knew that I was coming to a great program with a great future and now right there is clear evidence,” Cook said. “Coach Petrino has us going in a great direction.”

Cook believes that graduating early and enrolling at Arkansas in January will be of great help in his assimilation into college life.

“The biggest thing around according to all the players at the colleges I went to visit was just getting used to classes and getting use to the work level expected from a college player,” Cook said. “This gives me a chance to work on that and be able to be able to succeed in the spring semester on and off the field.”





Brey Cook





Brey Cook