Big Tex

In his weekly recruiting column, Dudley E. Dawson writes about how playing in the Dallas area could pay immediate dividends for the University of Arkansas as A. Maceo Smith standout Jatashun Beachum (6-2, 280, 4.75) says he has plans to commit to the Razorbacks very soon. This story is free and sponsored by the Arkansas Toyota Dealers. Click on the Arkansas Toyota banner.

Texas prep football star Jatashun Beachum knows that people have a hard time finding just the right words to describe him when they see him on the gridiron.

But the 6-2, 280-pounder with 4.75 speed in the 40-yard dash – who just happens to play quarterback and is nicknamed Big Tex - thinks he can do it.

“I am a small man in a large man’s body,” Beachum said. “I am a jumbo back that can do anything those little scatbacks can do plus run right over you.”

Indeed the Dallas A. Maceo Smith standout – who the University of Arkansas is recruiting as a running back and who will be in Fayetteville this weekend – is his team’s signal caller.

He also could be a Razorback commit any moment now - something his was letting his friends know last weekend while Arkansas was roughing up Texas A&M 47-19 at Cowboys Stadium.

“They couldn’t have recruits at the game so I just watched it on TV with some of my friends,” Beachum said. “Arkansas started out kind of sluggish, but after they got it going, I was saying look at the school I am going to go to the next four or five years. Look how they are getting it done against A&M.”

Beachum, whose mom is a graduate of Little Rock Central, had planned to wait until actually seeing Fayetteville before committing, but now may not wait.

“I’ve been to Little Rock a lot of times to visit and saw their first game of the season (a 48-10 win over Missouri State),” Beachum said. “It was great. I wasn’t sure they would offer me, but my mom and I were really hoping it would happen.

“Now that they have and after watching this weekend, I am thinking about committing any minute,” Beachum continued. “I am coming up there this weekend and thought I would do it then, but I am just getting really excited about it.”

Arkansas is one of at least 11 schools that Beachum says have offered him – five schools as running back, one at tight end, the rest as a defensive tackle or athlete.

Joining Arkansas on that RB offer list are Kansas, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Wake Forrest per Beachum.

Florida, Florida State, Baylor and Oklahoma State see him as a defensive tackle

Utah has him pegged as a TE while Iowa State and Miami just are telling him he would be an athlete for them.

He got up to 298 pounds during the summer, but is back down to 280 right now.

“I think when people first see me they say, oh, he’s probably lazy and too heavy,” Beachum said. “But then I get it going, they see what great feet I have and know that I can do anything those littler guys can do.”

The Eagles are now 1-4 on the season after a 38-6 loss to South Oak Cliff this week.

That includes a double forfeit that happened when A. Maceo Smith and Kimball got into a brawl with 8:49 left in 3rd quarter on Sept. 24.

“It was two rivals and there was a late hit and it just got out of control,” Beachum said.

He is 24-of-46 passing for 347 yards with four TDs this season.

“I know I am not going to play quarterback in college, but I am having fun doing it and just trying to help my team get some wins,” Beachum said.





Jatashun Beachum