Arkansas lost to LSU last week, but they did get some good news out of Baton Rouge a couple of days later. Defensive end Troy James from Madison Prep Academy- down there in Red Stick - committed to the Razorbacks.
There you go...
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) November 14, 2016
Madison Prep DL Troy James (@go__ty) commits to Arkansas #WPS pic.twitter.com/4odYfgSams
James is a 3-star prospect who chose the Razorbacks over offers from Oklahoma, North Carolina State, Cincinnati, Indiana, Wake Forest and several others. He actually committed to Kansas back in June, but decommitted shortly after taking his official visit to Arkansas the weekend of the Alabama football game.
Arkansas has loaded up on prospects from Louisiana over the last couple of years, and it made an impact on James. This is what he told Nola.com:
"When I went there on my official visit, it was just great," James told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune on Monday morning. "I just felt at home there. A lot of people from Louisiana are on the team like Briston (Guidry) and (Arkansas wide receivers) Coach (Michael) Smith being from Louisiana.
It helped a lot because knowing guys coming from Louisiana because Louisiana is basically a state where savages are born," James said. "They don't quit. They going to keep playing no matter what. Knowing they have guys on the team that have fight is a great feeling."
James also said the Arkansas coaches told him he could play both the 3- and 5-technique, and could even get a chance to play some fullback once he’s mastered the defensive playbook.
This is the 20th commitment in Arkansas’ 2017 class.