Will Arkansas secondary have more depth than expected?

The upcoming football season is a fresh start for more than 60 faces on the Arkansas football roster.

The secondary was a unit that needed a major overhaul and the Hogs scored impressive transfer portal additions in Christian Harrison, Jahiem “Joker” Johnson, La’Khi Roland and Shelton Lewis, to name some.

Those are four who likely will contribute immediately, but defensive coordinator Ron Roberts threw out others who have stood out on the backend throughout spring practices.

Tyler Scott‘s three-year collegiate career has not gone as planned after being a highly-touted prospect in high school, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Georgia native has taken advantage of his opportunity with the Razorbacks, according to Roberts.

Scott played for and was recruited by Roberts when the latter was DC at Auburn, where Scott was asked to be a team player off the bat. On top of playing an unfamiliar position to begin his college career, Scott endured tough luck on the injury front.

“He’s a guy that, when we had him at Auburn, I thought he should have been playing star (hybrid nickelback), and then we, out of necessity, he was playing corner,” Roberts said. “So I never thought he really got an opportunity to be in his best situation when we recruited him, that’s what he thought he was. Then it came out, there was a couple of injuries and stuff like that, and he really didn’t play.”

After redshirting with the Tigers in 2023, Scott missed all of 2024 with a torn ACL that he suffered about two months before the season kicked off. Scott did appear in five games for Auburn in 2023, reaching the limit to preserve his redshirt since his fifth game was the Music City Bowl, logging two tackles on the season.

Scott opted to move back home and transfer to Georgia State following the 2024 season, but appeared in only one game for the Panthers last fall against South Alabama, finishing with 4 tackles (2 solo).

Now reunited with Roberts – as well as CJ Wilford – his untapped potential could be on display in 2026 at the star position.

“I’ve been in touch with him throughout the years, and I think he’s got an opportunity,” Roberts said. “A lot of it is new to him, playing inside and doing those things, but I think he’s done a good job. Every time he goes out, he’s got an opportunity to get better. The last couple of his practices have been his best practices.”

Hinds (Miss.) Community College transfer DJ Hairston is another who has stood out, so much so that Roberts would be fine with him being one of the top options if the season began today.

“The surprise has really been DJ Hairston,” Roberts said. “He’s a freshman, going to be a sophomore, came in and has really gotten better every practice, enough to where we were just talking about this morning, and I said, ‘I feel very comfortable him being in the two deep.’

“If somebody comes in and takes it, great. But I feel very comfortable with him being two deep. I think he’s earned his — got to keep doing it — but right now, he’s earned his way and the respect that he’s capable of going out there and playing against the big people.”

In nine games with Hinds last season, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound Hairston compiled 18 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions and recovered a fumble.

Between March Madness, spring football, baseball and softball, plus the upcoming basketball transfer portal in April, this is as jam-packed time for Arkansas Razorbacks sports and a prime time to subscribe to HawgBeat.com. 

All new members get 50% OFF annual subscriptions through our current deal, averaging out to only $4.99/month for the top coverage on the Razorbacks.