In-state Razorback defenders vying for playing time in 2026
FAYETTEVILLE — It’s not often that true freshmen get the opportunity to play meaningful snaps in college football, but Arkansas has two that may buck that trend in 2026, and both hail from inside the state.
Speaking to the media in the final week of spring practice, new defensive coordinator Ron Roberts spoke highly of both defensive back Tay Lockett and defensive lineman Danny Beale III. Both have worked their way into the two-deep at times this spring and show a lot of promise.
“Tay does have a high football IQ,” Roberts said. “He’s intelligent. The toughest thing for a freshman coming in is — it’s two things: Adjusting to the speed of the game and then can they handle the workload? You know, because in high school a lot of times people are calling two defenses. There’s two defenses which is not going to happen in college football. You’d get your eyes shot out. So his ability to understand and take on the coaching part he’s done a really good job with that. I think it’s really allowed him to get in.
“Danny, again, has done a good job with it. He’s got a good work ethic. And obviously he’s a physical tool. The guy’s 300 and I’d probably be light if I said he was 335. I’m sure I’m pretty light on that, but he’s a big physical kid that’s going to be a really good football player.”
It’s only a half-truth to call Lockett an in-state product, as he spent three years playing out west at both University City and St. John Bosco in southern California. He moved to Conway — where he has many relatives In the area — to play his senior year at Conway. He helped the Wampus Cats to a 9-3 record and a loss to Bentonville in the playoffs.
Roberts didn’t recruit Lockett at Florida or Auburn, his last two coaching stops, but he knew his head coach from St. John Bosco, so he gave him a call.
”So I talked to him, what type of person he was, how intelligent he is, how does he absorb information, those type of things,” Roberts said. “I thought coming in, I was excited about him. I thought his ability, hey, as a freshman, this guy’s got a chance to help immediately. Can he adjust to the speed of the game? Can he adjust to all the other things — class, living on your own, and all that stuff — as a freshman?”
Being an impact player is something that Lockett actually has experience with. He was a MaxPreps All-American as both a freshman and a sophomore in high school, and as a freshman for University City in San Diego recorded 92 tackles, seven interceptions, nine pass deflections, three forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
His first season at Bosco, those numbers went down, but the level of competition was far higher. He still had 49 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble and helped the Braves to an 11-3 record and a CIF Southern Section Finals appearance.
Beale didn’t have the high school acumen that Lockett had in high school, but he was highly-sought-after by several SEC teams coming out of Cross County High School in northeast Arkansas, and was one of the first guys that head coach Ryan Silverfield targeted when he took the job.
He had previously de-committed from Oklahoma State and had both Ole Miss and Missouri in hot pursuit before he chose Arkansas.
On the field, Beale has great twitch and strength to go by and through offensive linemen. That kind of size and athletic ability is hard to come by.
“Danny, he shows it,” Roberts said. “He’s a physical specimen. He’s a big, physical guy and they just don’t grow on trees like that.”
The emergence of those two freshmen is something that Roberts wasn’t expecting.
”I usually think the freshmen, you really can’t tell because you’ve got the early enrollee now,” Roberts said “Usually you can’t tell until they get through the summer and get to fall camp. Those two (Lockett and Beale) are surprising that they’ve flashed so early and have adapted so well. I’m excited about them.”
The Razorbacks will take the field for the spring football game on Saturday afternoon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. There will be no television or streaming.
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