Depth Chart Thursday: Arkansas Razorbacks Post-Spring Projections
How Ryan Silverfield's rebuilt roster stacks up after the Red-White Spring Game.
Welcome to Depth Chart Thursday for the Spring Ball & Recruiting 2026 season. The Arkansas Razorbacks recently wrapped up their annual Red-White Spring Game on April 25, 2026, giving fans their first extensive look at head coach Ryan Silverfield's overhauled roster. After stepping in to replace Sam Pittman following a 2-10 finish in 2025, Silverfield and his staff aggressively attacked the transfer portal, adding around 40 new players to the program in Fayetteville.
Quarterback: KJ Jackson Holds the Reins
The most scrutinized position during spring practice has undoubtedly been quarterback. Following the departure of Taylen Green to the NFL Draft, offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey needed to solidify a new field general. Exiting the spring, KJ Jackson sits at QB1 on the depth chart. However, it has been a fiercely tight competition with Memphis transfer AJ Hill pushing him every step of the way. Braeden Fuller rounds out the primary quarterback depth, but all eyes remain on Jackson to lead the offense as the projected starter.
Offensive and Defensive Core
Beyond the signal-callers, the Razorbacks are blending returning veterans with fresh portal talent. Up front, returning starters Caden Kitler and Kobe Branham will provide vital stability for the offensive trenches. They are joined by incoming transfers like Ayden Bussell and Ty Lockwood, as well as backfield and perimeter additions Sutton Smith and Jasper Parker, to help offset the loss of NFL-bound Mike Washington Jr. and Fernando Carmona.
Defensively, under coordinator Ron Roberts, returning starters CJ Brown and Quincy Rhodes Jr. will anchor the unit. The staff has brought in pieces like Xadavien Sims and Bryant Williams to bolster the defensive depth chart, especially following the portal departures of Jaheim Singletary, Jac'Qawn McRoy, Ian Geffrard, and Tavion Wallace. With Arkansas celebrating its best NFL Draft showing since 2016 with four players selected, including defensive standout Julian Neal, Silverfield's first depth chart is a fascinating mix of returning foundational pieces and vital new acquisitions.
Published 6 months ago
Staff
Staff writer for SEC Saturday Wire covering college sports.
Process Notes & Methodology
Pipeline: flagship (gemini_3_1_pro) Season: Spring Ball & Recruiting 2026 | Theme: Depth Chart Thursday TeamContext last refreshed: 2026-04-30T11:50:42.760Z Verifier: ✅ PASSED (confidence 0.95) Unverified claims: - Sutton Smith and Jasper Parker are specifically 'backfield and perimeter' additions (the facts confirm they transferred in, but do not specify their exact positions). - Julian Neal was a 'defensive standout' (the facts confirm his NFL departure, but do not specify his side of the ball). Summary: The draft article is highly accurate and strictly adheres to the provided verified facts. It correctly identifies the head coach, coordinators, quarterback depth chart, recent transfers, returning starters, and NFL departures. The only unverified elements are minor descriptive details regarding the specific positional roles of a few players. Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Arkansas_Razorbacks_football_team - https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/cramsey-lunsford-roberts-named-coordinators/ - https://247sports.com/college/arkansas/longformarticle/arkansas-football-projected-2026-depth-chart/ - https://www.thv11.com/article/sports/razorbacks/four-razorbacks-picked-up-in-2026-nfl-draft/ - https://athlonsports.com/college-football/two-sec-programs-lose-38-players-to-college-football-transfer-portal - https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/arkansas/2025-schedule.html - https://www.si.com/college/arkansas/football/secs-biggest-winners-of-transfer-portal-includes-arkansas
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