Fast And Furious

In his weekly recruiting column, Dudley E. Dawson catches up with Clarksville speedster Wesleigh Foster (5-11, 190, 4.38), who set two state records last Saturday in the Class 4A track meet. This story is free and sponsored by the Arkansas Toyota Dealers. Click on the Arkansas Toyota.

If he had made the decision to attend Saturday’s FCA Combine in North Little Rock, odds are that Clarksville’s Wesleigh Foster would have been one of the fastest participants.

But Foster (5-11, 180, 4.38) chose to go with his team to the Class 4A track meet in Pocahontas and show off his speed there.

He certainly did by setting state records in the 100-meter (10.72) and 200-meter (21.93) dashes and also helping his team to a win in the 4 x 100 relay.

“I have been to a lot of combines and know how those go, but I just wanted to be there for my teammates and I am certainly glad I did,” said Foster, who will run at the Meet of Champs Saturday at Lake Hamilton. “It went really well for us.”

Foster has seen coaches from seven schools stop by Clarksville High this week – including assistant John L. Smith from University of Arkansas, the place where he wants to play his college football.

“I just think they have a great program and are going to be a national contender in the next few years,” Foster said. “I want to be a part of that.”

Foster, who rushed for 1,176 yards last season, has been to numerous Razorback games, practices and junior days.

“I have just tried to get up there and get noticed and do everything I can to put myself in a spot to get a scholarship from Arkansas,” Foster said. “I am just going to keep doing that because I want to be a Razorback.”

Other schools stopping by this week include Tulsa, Arkansas State, Louisiana-Monroe, UCA, Arkansas Tech, Harding and Southern Arkansas University, who gave Foster his first scholarship offer.

“That felt great,” Foster said. “SAU is a great school. I want to play at Arkansas or at a higher level, but if that doesn’t work out, then it would be a great school for me.”

Foster, who has a 34-inch vertical jump and a 300 bench press, has some incentive to finish up strong this school year in the classroom.

“I didn’t do as well as a I could have in school this year, but I have really been hitting the books and getting things in order,” Foster said. “Arkansas has told me that they want to see me get a 3.0 in the classroom this semester and that is what I have really been trying to do.”

Foster will be back in Fayetteville again for Arkansas’ summer camp on June 6-8.

He was the second fastest camper at that event last summer.

“That is where I want to earn my scholarship,” Foster said. “I am going to work hard to show them I can play for Arkansas and play in the SEC.”

That could be at tailback, running back or in the secondary.

“I guess you would say I am an athlete and they would put me where they needed me,” Foster said. “I did get introduced to (UA wide receiver) coach (Kris) Cinkovich so I think it looks like they may be thinking wide receiver.”





Wesleigh Foster





Wesleigh Foster