Recruiting Insider: Arkansas favored to add top running back prospect in the next few days

Benton (Ark.) four-star running back Braylen Russell is barreling toward a commitment decision, with his scheduled announcement set for July 14.

The one-time Razorbacks commit recently named Arkansas, Tennessee and South Carolina as his top three schools, but one program is trending in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) with less than 48 hours until his commitment.

The home-state Razorbacks have a 94.3 percent chance of landing Russell’s commitment per the RPM, following an expert pick from On3 national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman back in April, as well as other picks from around the recruiting industry. Baylor (1.9%) and South Carolina (1.6%) trail behind.

Braylen Russell has longstanding connection Arkansas

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Russell has known Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith since ninth grade. And despite his decommitment from the Razorbacks last fall, they still have a very strong connection.

Smith is like “another family member” to him whenever he goes down to Fayetteville, according to Russell. And Arkansas is working hard to keep the four-star in-state.

“Their message is that the state school would take care of me very good,” Russell said. “I could be a big priority to their team and come play.”

Russell took official visits to both South Carolina (June 2) and Baylor (June 9). He is also expected to take one to Arkansas this fall.

He told On3’s Chad Simmons that there is a “little advantage” for Arkansas and Tennessee, since he has visited the Razorbacks nearly 10 times as a recruit and the Volunteers a few times.

“The family feeling, someone I can just come to about my problems,” Russell said about what is important to him in a school. “You always want that person you can talk to because that’s really big to have. I’m really looking for somebody I can connect with. If I can connect with the staff, that means God’s leading me there.”