Since John Calipari took over as head coach in April, Arkansas basketball has been excelling in recruiting. The Razorbacks currently boast the top transfer class in the nation and the third-best overall class for the 2024 recruiting cycle.
Despite their strong roster, there are still significant gaps that need to be filled. Calipari and his team are actively addressing these needs by targeting top prospects from overseas, the transfer portal, and players navigating the NBA Draft process. Here’s the latest information on these targets according to HawgSports.
The Arkansas Razorbacks face another challenging schedule in 2024, featuring matchups against Oklahoma State, Auburn, Texas A&M, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas, and Missouri. Here’s an overview of the top 20 offensive skill position players they’ll encounter this season, with detailed profiles of the top 10 and a brief list of noteworthy freshmen to watch.
**Freshmen to Watch:** Auburn WR Cam Coleman (ranked 11th overall), Texas WR Ryan Wingo, Auburn WR Perry Thompson, Tennessee WR Mike Matthews, Missouri WR Courtney Crutchfield, LSU TE Trey’Dez Green.
**20. Rivaldo Fairweather:** Auburn’s senior tight end, standing at 6-4 and weighing 251 pounds, set a school record with 38 receptions by a tight end in 2023, totaling 394 receiving yards and six touchdowns after transferring from FIU.
This spring saw a record-setting number of entries into the transfer portal, with nearly 2,000 players seeking new opportunities. An abundance of elite talent was available both during and after the 45-day window. For most high-major college basketball teams, departures were minimal, but some teams saw nearly all their scholarship players leave.
Of the 80 high-major college basketball teams, all except Marquette had at least one player enter the transfer portal during the recent window. Notably, the Golden Eagles are also among the few high-major teams that have not yet added an incoming transfer.
Six of the 10 high-major teams with the most transfer portal departures underwent a change at head coach following the 2023-24 season with Arkansas and Louisville among the top of the list. Both programs endured a complete overhaul ahead of the 2024-25 season.
LOUISVILLE CARDINALS — 13
Louisville needed a complete reset. Despite having talent, the Cardinals managed only 12 wins over the past two years, making an overhaul necessary. Following the departure of former head coach Kenny Payne on March 13, 13 players—nine of whom were four-stars—entered the transfer portal. After new head coach Pat Kelsey took over, more players joined the exodus, with seven transferring to other high-major programs, adding a bit of insult to injury. In the aftermath, the new staff almost entirely replenished the roster in less than 50 days with 10 incoming transfers, leaving just one walk-on from the 2023-24 roster.
DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS — 12
DePaul is notorious for being a bottom-feeder in the Big East, having zero NCAA Tournament appearances and only three winning seasons in the past two decades. New head coach Chris Holtmann aims to bring success to DePaul with a completely revamped roster for the 2024-25 season. No scholarship players return from last season, as all entered the transfer portal except for leading scorer Chico Carter Jr., who exhausted his eligibility. The Blue Demons have secured 11 incoming transfers and two high school signees, completing their roster overhaul.
