Ryan Silverfield lands 3 in-state recruits on first day as Arkansas football coach

Ryan Silverfield's recruiting efforts with Arkansas football are off-and-running.

Silverfield landed a trio of high school commitments on Monday, Dec. 1. Early Signing Day for the 2026 class is in 48 hours, and the Razorbacks are trying to improve a class that ranked outside the top-70 nationally and last in the SEC before they named Silverfield the new head coach.

All three commitments came from in-state prospects. The Hogs now have three of the five highest-ranked recruits in the state of Arkansas, according to the 247Sports Composite. The last time Arkansas landed that many of the top in-state recruits was 2022, when Sam Pittman secured the commitments of the entire top-five.

Here's more information on the new Arkansas football commitments under Silverfield's watch.

Danny Beale, defensive lineman, Cross County High School

Beale immediately becomes the highest-ranked recruit in the Razorbacks' class. He is the top player in the state of Arkansas, the No. 17 defensive lineman in the country and the 160th-ranked player overall.

Beale committed to Oklahoma State over the summer, but the four-star backed off that pledge following the Cowboys firing of Mike Gundy. He also had scholarship offers from SEC rivals like Missouri, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Georgia.

Beale is 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds. His high school career will come to an end on Friday, Dec. 5, with Cross County facing East Poinsett County in the 2A State Championship.

Terry Hodges, running back, Bryant High School

Hodges flipped his pledge from Missouri to Arkansas on Monday. He previously committed to the Tigers on Oct. 4, which was the same week Arkansas fired Sam Pittman.

The four-star prospect is ranked No. 3 in the state, No. 354 nationally and No. 26 among all running backs. He joins Beale and Dequane Prevo as the three top-five recruits in Arkansas that are committed to the Razorbacks.

Hodges is 6-feet and 180 pounds. He will also play for a state championship this weekend, with Bryant facing Bentonville in the 7A final.

Jakore Smith, linebacker, Bryant High School

Another member of the Bryant Hornets, Smith will be a Razorback after previously committing to Oklahoma on May 15. He backed off that pledge on Nov. 24.

At 6-feet and 190 pounds, Smith is a three-star prospect who is the eighth-ranked recruit in the state of Arkansas. He is the No. 571 overall player and the No. 49 linebacker in the country.

Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Ryan Silverfield lands 3 in-state recruits for Arkansas football