NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Meaningful Arkansas Football is on its way as we have surpassed the 4th of July and are creeping towards the beautiful month of August. Last month, I predicted and broke down the offensive starters, and this month, I will break down the defensive starters. To check back in with June, this is what the offensive starters looked like:
QB: Taylen Green
RB: Braylen Russell, Mike Washington Jr, Cam Settles
WR: O’Mega Blake, Ismael Cisse, Raylen Sharpe, Kam Shanks
TE: Rohan Jones, Andreas Paaske, Jaden Platt
OL (From Left Tackle to Right Tackle):
Corey Robinson II, Fernando Carmona, Caden Kitler, E’Marion Harris, Shaq McRoy
Arkansas Football is predicated on good defense and a good running game. The transfer portal is often chaotic, and Arkansas did lose some good defensive players to the portal but picked up some solid pieces to fill the defensive back and defensive line rooms. Let’s break down the starting defensive line today, and we will go through the rest of the defense through July.
Quincy Rhodes Jr
Quincy Rhodes Jr is a defensive end entering his junior year at the University of Arkansas. He got his first real action this year, playing in every game and getting his first start in the Liberty Bowl. Quincy Rhodes is a big pass rusher at 6’6 and 276 pounds. Rhodes will take over Landon Jackson’s role, as he is a similar size and possesses similar traits to those Landon had during his time in Arkansas. Quincy Rhodes is great at defending the run, with areas he needs to work on in rushing the passer. In just 211 snaps, Rhodes accounted for 15 tackles and two tackles for loss. Out of those 15 tackles, he had seven defensive stops, which is defined as a player shutting down an offensive run play to little or no gain.
He also had nine pressures with one sack and one QB hit. Rhodes can make a significant leap with a starting role and the opportunity to learn from someone like Landon Jackson. He possesses good lower-body strength and body control for outside pass-rush moves, as well as a strong bull rush for inside pass-rush moves. Rhodes needs to work on a consistent pad level and hand placement to be a dominant force at every opportunity. He can get washed away when defending the run due to his hand placement, which allows tackles to leverage him out of the play. When rushing the passer, his high pad level at times makes it easy for tackles or guards to anchor and stonewall him at the line. It is not a consistent problem, but something he can work on to contribute this year and then build upon in his final year before entering the draft.
Justus Boone
Justus Boone is a Redshirt Senior entering his final year in his collegiate career. Boone transferred over from Florida after a decent year racking up ten tackles, two tackles for loss, and four defensive stops. He also had seven pressures with one sack and one QB hit. Justus did this in only 138 snaps in 2024 after missing the 2023 season with a torn ACL. Justus Boone was a four-star prospect and was the 31st-ranked defensive lineman in his class. At 6’4, 266 pounds, Justus is a quick defensive end who has an explosive first step and can win on the outside with speed and power.
He was on his way to a standout collegiate career before his ACL injury in Florida. In his second year, Boone racked up a 14% pass rush win rate with 14 pressures, one sack, and two QB hits. I expect Boone to get to his 2022 pass rush level with a full season removed from his ACL injury. He was a menace in defending the run with 25 tackles and 14 defensive stops. Boone has excellent grip strength and hand placement to move tackles into gaps and can shed very well to make a tackle. Be on the lookout for a good final year out of Justus in Arkansas.
David Oke
David Oke is a Senior entering his final year in his collegiate career. This is his first year in Arkansas after transferring from Abilene Christian. At 6’2 315lb, he is a menace at the nose tackle position and has one of the quickest feet for an interior defender at that size. In 2024, he totaled 63 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss, including 34 defensive stops. He amassed 28 pressures with two sacks and four QB hits. Abilene Christian primarily employs a 3-4 defense, just as Arkansas does. David Oke would come from the nose tackle position, but they ran a majority of stunts to move him around the line to disguise line matchups.
As I mentioned, Oke’s quick feet and lateral movement are impressive, to say the least. He can move fluidly from the center to the tackle without any missed steps and then quickly explode vertically to get to the quarterback or continue laterally on outside runs. He gives 110% on every play and will chase down a running back 20 yards down the field. The biggest concern with David Oke is his transition from the United Athletic Conference to the Southeastern Conference. His speed translates well, but he needs to ensure he has enough strength and power to handle tougher offensive linemen. He will be working with Cameron Ball on the defensive line, and the duo can exploit the weaknesses of the interior offensive line together.
Cameron Ball
Cameron Ball is a Redshirt Senior entering his final year in his collegiate career. He has played all his college football in Arkansas and expects a big final year to get picked high in the 2026 draft. At 6’5 326lb, Ball is a menace in defending the run and brings an excellent pass rush from the interior. His ability to shed defenders in the run game is NFL-caliber, as you can already see him manipulating defenders to peak at running backs and dictate where he needs to go.
His hand placement and grip strength are top-notch, and he can bully guards to close gaps or move laterally until he needs to shed and make a tackle. In 2024, he amassed 47 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 27 defensive stops. Coming from primarily the nose and defensive tackle position, he tallied 14 pressures with two sacks and four QB hits. At his size, he brings a lot of power in his pass rush and counters it with swipes and swim moves to get past guards. His first step is above average, and he can gain leverage and use his swipes or swim moves to attack the quarterback quickly. Ball underwent elbow surgery in the off-season and is expected to make a full recovery, coming into this season. He may need to miss a week, depending on his recovery, but it was the best time to do it, as it enters his make-or-break year. If Ball can work on his pass rush and continue his dominance in defending the run, expect Cameron Ball to be picked in the top 100 of the NFL draft.
Arkansas Football did a good job revamping its defensive line after losing two great defenders, Eric Gregory and Landon Jackson, last year. The interior of the defensive line is a little stronger than the defensive ends, but the duo of Cameron Ball and David Oke can certainly open up one-on-ones for the outside edges. David Oke’s lateral movement can open up disguises and stunts to confuse offensive linemen and compress the pocket, creating chaos for opposing quarterbacks. Cameron Ball, David Oke, and Justus Boone are playing for their futures beyond college, and I expect them to declare for the 2026 NFL draft. Watch out for the Arkansas Razorbacks as their dynamic players on each level of the defense will have a heavy impact on getting Fayetteville back on the map in the SEC.
