The Recruiting Guy

Top Tennessee prospect cites Morris, super fan for strong Arkansas interest

Arkansas linebacker target Martavius French and Razorback super fan Canaan Sandy.
Arkansas linebacker target Martavius French and Razorback super fan Canaan Sandy.

— Arkansas Coach Chad Morris and a Razorbacks super fan has one of the top junior prospects in Tennessee high on the Hogs.

Highly regarded linebacker Martavius French said Morris was the first coach to reach out to him on Sept. 1, the first day college coaches could contact junior prospects.

“As soon as 12 o’clock hit that night, Coach Morris sent me an edit on Twitter with an Arkansas uniform with my number on it and French on the back of it,” French said.

French, 6-2, 236 pounds, 4.7 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida, Memphis and others. Other coaches made contact after Morris.

“As soon as I got that, I was really happy and then that’s when other colleges started showing love, too,” French said.

Canaan Sandy, who was inducted into the ESPN Fan Hall of Fame in 2013, has been a Razorbacks fan since birth. He and his parents attended the Tigers’ 35-0 victory over Fairley on Aug. 18 in Memphis.

The Arkansas super fan was in North Little Rock on Friday to watch French and his teammates take on the Charging Wildcats.

French said Morris being the first coach to contact him, along with Sandy urging him to be a Hog, has Arkansas a major contender for him.

“Well for one, I was already amped up about Arkansas because Canaan came to the first game and then coach Morris was showing love. That’s great, too,” French said. "Because he’s texting me now saying I might be a big deal if I go and commit to Arkansas. Right now, they’re one of my top priorities.”

He was touched that Canaan made Friday’s game.

“That means he really wants to see me at Arkansas,” French said. “One day, I might just have to make that happen for him.”

The Hogs are also recruiting Whitehaven senior offensive lineman Melvin McBride and junior linebacker Bryson Eason. McBride plans to make an official visit to Fayetteville for the Alabama game.

French visited Arkansas in the spring of 2017. He and Eason are also looking to visit the Razorbacks for the Alabama game.

“We just want to go down there again,” French said. “I went down there last year, but I just want to go again."

He recorded 53 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a sophomore. His combination of speed and physical play has college coaches excited.

“I like getting to the ball,” French said. “I just try and do everything I can for my teammates. I’m going to put myself on the line so they’ll put themselves on the line.”

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