FAYETTEVILLE -- The defensive line was considered one of Arkansas' biggest question marks entering spring drills.
Arkansas' new defensive line coaches, Kynjee' Cotton and Landius Wilkerson are working to make it a strength on defense. Cotton coaches the tackles and Wilkerson has the ends when they break up into groups. Cotton was asked about the defensive tackles on Monday?
"Hunter Osborne, he's been doing things at a high level," Cotton said. "He controls the front, he can line us up. He does everything the right way. Then (David) Oke has been really playing consistent football for us. We continue to get him playing consistent football, I think this guy right here can have a really good season. Then the next guy inside I would like to talk about is Carlon Jones. Carlon Jones, he has been playing nose tackle for us. You can move him around. Very smart player, very cerebral player. He's been also doing an outstanding job for us. Also inside man, Danny Beale, freshman. This guy right here is a brick house now, so we are excited about him. Got to get him to play more consistently. When we're throwing a lot of stuff out there, it’s spinning for him a little bit. But if we're talking about base down, early downs, this guy can do it. He can do it for us. Anthony Kennedy, another young freshman, got a lot of potential.
"Focusing on him just really coming out of his hips and striking blockers, that's the biggest thing for him right now. Also inside, we have Danny, T.O. — Trajan Odom. I mean, he's talking about Twitch, you talking about high IQ. Trajan now, he can go, this guy– I just truly believe that if he can just, I told him, if you can slow down the speed up, man, I'm just telling you, it's going to be a game-changer for you and inside for us. I mean, that's pretty much everybody."
Quincy Rhodes Jr. gives Wilkerson a returning standout to coach. Rhodes was projected by some to be picked in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but opted to return for his senior season.
"Like you say, Quincy has already got a name for himself, done a good job to get to this point where he is, and everything he's got, he deserved," Wilkerson said. "And he's come in; he's been eager to learn. I think a lot of stuff we're doing now is different fundamentally and technique wise and even scheme wise. He's a guy that has come in and met with us a lot, one on one, just trying to grasp everything. And he's eager to eager to win, and don't mind working.
"His biggest leadership thing is he'll work. He's a worker. Comes in, he'll work hard, and he practices hard, runs to the football. So, I've been pleased with Quincy, like I tell him every day, I challenge him every day to be better than it was day before. He's got to continue to grow on out the field, and I think he'll be fine. Have a good season, like I tell him all the time, the harder he works, the better he leads, the better those guys around him are going to be."
Wilkerson was asked who is behind Rhodes at the end?
"I'm a firm believer in depth and rotation," Wilkerson said. "That's why I told Quincy when I first got here, last year we got to the playoffs because we played three-deep on the D-line. I'm a firm believer in that and he realizes that. And behind him, we got 88, (Xadavien) Sims. Day-day. He's been really, really good. He's been one of our better D-linemen, in my opinion, against the run, a lot point of attack so far. It's new to him as well, but he's working hard. He's learning. He's fighting.
"Then behind him, you got a young guy in Caleb Bell, who every day seems to be getting better and better. It's moving fast for him. He's still young, but those three guys have been the most solid ones in the group to this point. And then the other guy there is the freshman, Colton Yarbrough. He's new, and these typical freshmen, man, growing pains, he's got to learn. Everything about college is new for him, and some days are better than others. With those guys, between him, Big Ant and Danny, they're all freshmen, and they flash at moments, and have freshman moments too."
Osborne started his career at Alabama, but then transferred to Virginia last year. He had 15 tackles, two for loss and a sack for them as a redshirt sophomore.
"The thing about Hunter is he's cerebral, he's smart," Cotton said. "I get guys that when you bring Hunter in here and put him on the board, he can probably line up the whole defense. He can line us up. He can tell you what each guy is doing on defense. I think that’s huge because with a young guy like Danny, when I throw him in there with Hunter, Hunter takes charge of the front. He teaches, ‘Hey man, look, boom-boom-boom,’ gets him lined up and get him going. And also his leadership. I think that’s huge for him. He’s taken more strides. I think he’s more comfortable now that he’s been here and done a couple of practices because now he’s getting on guys. He’s showing that other side to him. You need that in that room because we are a fairly young room. With him being one of the veteran guys and him now showing that he can really take charge and be that leader, it’s been big for us."
The Hogs will hold their spring game on Saturday, April 25, at 2 p.m.
