By: Jax Crall
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – During the spring season, the last thing sports fans think about is football, that is until the NFL Draft rolls around. This 7 round, all or nothing showcase pulls supporters right back into the chaos of the gridiron. This year, the pool of players is as talented as ever with multiple athletes in multiple positions having cases for the first overall pick. Here in Arkansas, all eyes are on 16 potential former Razorbacks with NFL dreams- three of whom have strong reasons for getting their named called on draft night.
“If they [NFL team] draft me, they’re getting a dog,” Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson said in an NFL combine press conference. “I’m a guy that’s going to come in there and find a way to make an immediate impact.”
Jackson is one of the several Razorbacks counting down the days until the draft, and he is by far the most notable out of this strong group. Standing 6’7’’ and weighing 280 pounds, Jackson was arguably the best player for the Razorbacks last season. Jackson finished the 2024 year with Second Team All-SEC honors, 6.5 sacks, and 49 total tackles. During the draft combine, Jackson raised attention in the NFL Scouting Combine testing in the 95 percentile for edge rushers in the vertical and broad jumps.
Next up is running back Ja’Quiden Jackson. Jackson came to the hogs as a transfer from Utah. The most compelling story of Jackson is his experience in multiple positions. Until his tenure at Utah, Jackson was a quarterback in high school and at the University of Texas. The starting running back racked up 790 yards and 15 touchdowns across 10 games.
The Final notable Razorback is Hogs wide receiver Andrew Armstrong. Armstrong has a great story because of how underestimated he has been his whole career. The talented wide out came to Arkansas as a division II transfer from Texas A&M commerce. Last season, Armstrong led the SEC in receiving yards but is still being overlooked in the draft.
“I knew when I got all the yards I did, there was going to be some setback,” Armstrong said in a press conference at the end of the season. “That’s just how my journey has been, there’s always a setback.”
The NFL Draft will begin Thursday night with the first round and conclude Saturday evening with the seventh round.