The Recruiting Guy

Texas receiver learns to love football

Arkansas assistant coach Mark Smith speaks with players Wednesday, March 28, 2018, during practice at the university's practice facility on campus in Fayetteville.
Arkansas assistant coach Mark Smith speaks with players Wednesday, March 28, 2018, during practice at the university's practice facility on campus in Fayetteville.

Playing football was hardly on sophomore receiver Loic Fouonji's mind when he and his family moved to the United States in 2008 from soccer-happy Cameroon.

"When I first moved here, I wasn't really interested in football until my friend's dad put me on the team and saw what I could do," Fouonji said.

He soon got the football bug when he started running into the end zone.

"I used to play running back back then, so I used to score a lot of touchdowns and stuff," Fouonji said.

Fouonji, 6-4, 186, of Midland (Texas) Lee, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Texas Tech, SMU and Kansas along with interest from others.

His combination of size and speed is expected to draw in many other offers over the next two years. Arkansas cornerbacks coach Mark Smith, who visited Fouonji's school May 3, is doing a good job of selling the Razorbacks, Fouonji said.

"He said I would like it more if I would come down there and visit the campus as well," he said.

Fouonji, who finished second in the district 200 meters with a time of 22.04 seconds, had 18 receptions for 407 yards and 5 touchdowns last season. He said he's planning to visit Fayetteville.

"Sometime during the summer," Fouonji said.

Email Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline.com

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