TIGHT ENDS
Arkansas’ ability to throw the ball downfield with success last season created plenty of excitement about the passing game. Quarterback Ryan Mallett had the arm strength to stretch the field, while sophomores Greg Childs, Joe Adams and Jarius Wright and freshman Cobi Hamilton all had the ability to make big plays.
But one player was affected — statistically — by the increased productivity at the receiver positions. Tight end D.J. Williams finished the year with 32 catches for 411 yards and 3 touchdowns, well below the 2008 season in which he led the Hogs with 58 catches for 699 yards.
Arkansas did its best to get Williams more involved in the offense late in the season and will continue to make sure he remains a key part of the passing attack this spring.
Williams considered leaving school after his junior season to enter the NFL Draft, but is back and will remain an integral part of the Razorbacks’ offense.
He’ll have some help, too. Senior Ben Cleveland is back after catching three passes last season and sophomore Chris Gragg returns from an injury that sidelined him in 2009. Gragg was a big-play threat in practice last fall before suffering the injury.
“The combination of D.J. Williams, Ben Cleveland and Chris Gragg should be a good combination for us,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “There are a lot of things we can do with those guys on the field.”
Redshirt Austin Tate will also fight for playing time along with former quarterback Jim Youngblood and Jovan Davis, a transfer who moved over from running back. It should give the Mallett and the rest of Arkansas’ quarterbacks plenty of tight ends to throw to in 2010.
Key Returners
• D.J. Williams (32 catches, 411 yards, 3 TDs)
• Ben Cleveland (3 catches, 33 yards)
• Chris Gragg (Missed 2009 with an injury)
Key Departures
• Colton Nash (Moved to defensive end)
Spring Depth Chart
• D.J. Williams, Ben Cleveland, Chris Gragg
Watch Out For … Chris Gragg
Petrino believed the Razorbacks had a nice weapon in Chris Gragg last summer. The sophomore moved to tight end after spending his freshman season at wide receiver and showed he was capable of making big plays.
The Razorbacks never got to see it on the field last season, though, because Gragg broke his ankle in a preseason scrimmage. But Gragg — who had a screw removed from his surgically repaired ankle earlier this winter — is back this spring and Arkansas is hoping he can stay healthy and provide another weapon at tight end.
“It’s great to have him back,” Petrino said. “He’s bigger than he was last fall. He’s stronger. He ran real well. He ran like a 4.52 (in the 40-yard dash) which is real good for a guy that’s 233 pounds. We think we can really use him in our offense, stretching the middle of the field and getting speed at the tight end position.”
Coming Monday: A look at Arkansas’ quarterbacks
Make sure to follow me on Twitter (@NWARobbie) and here on the Hog Blog for all kinds of news and notes from spring football when practice begins on March 30. I’ll also have daily stories from spring practice that will appear on the Arkansas News Bureau Web site at ArkansasNews.com
