re: Arkansas Football 2025 Recruiting Thread **OL Blake Cherry Commits**

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Arkansas lost a second four-star commitment on Monday when St. Louis (Mo.) Cardinal Ritter running back Jamarion Parker officially reopened his recruitment. The Razorbacks lost a big one earlier in the day when four-star two-way lineman Carius Curne de-committed from the Hogs.

Parker, 6-0, 185, initially chose the Razorbacks on September 1, 2023 but is now off the commitment list following the departure of running backs Jimmy Smith, who left Arkansas for TCU in early March.

Parker’s de-commitment likely comes as no surprise to Hog fans as the Class of 2025 target began visiting other programs late last year and was recruited to Fayetteville by Smith, who now serves as running backs coach for the Horned Frogs.

In addition to Arkansas, Parker’s offer list also includes Missouri, Nebraska, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Colorado, Illinois and several others.

According to 247Sports, Parker is a four-star prospect, 18th among all running backs, and third overall in the Show Me State for the 2025 cycle. The 247Sports Composite rankings also consider Parker a four-star, No. 28 among all running backs, and fourth overall in the state of Missouri.

With the loss of Parker, Arkansas’ class is down to four verbal commitments including three-star quarterback Grayson Wilson of Maumelle (Ark.) CAC, three-star running back Markeylin Batton of Atlanta (Texas), and unranked kicker Evan Noel of Bay Saint Louis (Miss.) St. Stanislaus.

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St. Louis Cardinal Ritter College Prep four-star running back Jamarion Parker announced his commitment to Arkansas on Sept. 1. A key reason why he chose the Razorbacks was because of associate head coach/running backs coach Jimmy Smith.

Following Arkansas’ 2023 season, Smith departed Fayetteville for TCU to become the Horned Frogs’ running backs coach. This move played a pivotal role in Parker deciding to back off his pledge to Arkansas.

“I started thinking about this when coach Jimmy Smith left for TCU,” Parker told On3. “… With coach Smith leaving, I feel like it is time to open up my recruitment.”

Big 12 and Big Ten schools are now in pursuit of Parker
The Razorbacks are still showing “a lot of interest” in Parker, who is being pursued by multiple schools following his decommitment. They include Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska and TCU.

The 6-foot-0, 185-pound tailback has already set visits to the Cornhuskers and Horned Frogs for later in the spring. His trip to Fort Worth will likely offer a chance to reunite with Smith in person.

“He is a real coach and he’s been on me hard since freshman year,” Parker told On3 in September about Smith. “He always lets me know how much they want me and we have built a connection. I have great talks with him and we have a great connection now. He is real and I like him a lot.”

Parker was one of the top players in Arkansas’ 2025 class
Parker is the No. 334 overall prospect and No. 24 running back in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 4 player in Missouri.

At the time of his decommitment, he was the highest-ranked player in Arkansas’ 2025 recruiting class. Three players remain committed to head coach Sam Pittman and his staff: North Little Rock (Ark.) Central Arkansas Christian three-star quarterback Grayson Wilson, Atlanta (Texas) three-star running back Markeylin Batton and Bay Saint Louis (Miss.) St. Stanislaus kicker Evan Noel.

The Razorbacks also lost a pledge from Marion (Ark.) four-star interior offensive lineman Carius Curne on March 25. He is the No. 85 overall prospect and No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the 2025 On300, as well as the No. 1 player in Arkansas.

Curne took an unofficial visit to LSU on March 23, which was while he was still committed to Arkansas. The Tigers are now trending to land him at 96.5%, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
“I have decided to de-commit from the University of Arkansas,” Curne wrote in a message posted to social media. “I have the utmost respect for the coaching staff and appreciate their hard work during my recruitment. I hope that everyone will respect my decision as I attempt to do what is best for me and my family.”

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The Arkansas football team lost another commitment in the class of 2025 on Monday as four-star running back Jamarion Parker backed off his pledge, according to multiple reports.

Parker was rumored to be on the fence about his recruitment since the departure of former Arkansas running backs coach Jimmy Smith to TCU.

Parker committed to Arkansas on Sept. 1, 2023 over offers from Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State, Oregon and others.

At the time he committed, Parker was ranked the No. 2 player in the state of Missouri and the No. 236 player in the country according to Rivals. He has since dropped out of the Rivals250 and is ranked the No. 5 player in Missouri.

The St. Louis native is the second recruit to back off their pledge to the Razorbacks on Monday, as Parker joins four-star lineman Carius Curne of Marion.

With Parker's decision, the Hogs are now at just three commitments in the class of 2025: Four-star quarterback Grayson Wilson, three-star athlete Markeylin Batton and two-star kicker Evan Noel.

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