The vibe around Fayetteville is, honestly, a little chaotic right now. If you've been following the Razorbacks, you know the script changed mid-movie. Sam Pittman is out. Ryan Silverfield is in. And the Arkansas football roster 2025 looks almost nothing like the one that finished that brutal 2024 campaign.
It’s a complete overhaul.
Basically, Silverfield didn't just walk into the Smith Center and shake hands; he grabbed the transfer portal by the throat. After the Hogs stumbled to a 2-10 finish last year—a season that saw Pittman fired after a demoralizing loss to Notre Dame—the roster needed more than a tune-up. It needed a transplant.
The Quarterback Room: Life After the Revolving Door
For a minute there, it felt like Arkansas was just cycling through names at QB with no real plan. Entering 2025, the picture is finally clearing up, though it's still younger than most fans might like.
KJ Jackson is the name everyone is circling. The redshirt sophomore is basically the "last man standing" from the previous regime's high-upside recruits, and honestly, the kid has the frame of a prototypical SEC starter. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, he isn't just a statue. He can move.
But Silverfield wasn't going to bet his first year on just one guy. He’s been aggressive in keeping Trever Jackson around, another redshirt sophomore who provides that "dual-threat" insurance policy. The real question is whether the new offensive scheme—moving away from the Petrino interim "Veer and Shoot" vibes toward whatever Silverfield brings from Memphis—will actually protect these young arms.
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Then you have the local hero, Grayson Wilson. Coming out of Conway, he’s the freshman everyone wants to see, but in the current SEC, starting a true freshman is usually a recipe for a very long Saturday. Expect him to soak up the playbook while the two Jacksons battle it out in spring ball.
The Offensive Line: Rebuilding the Great Wall
Let’s be real: the offensive line was a disaster last year. You can’t win in this league if your quarterback is running for his life by the second quarter.
The Arkansas football roster 2025 features some massive human beings, but they’re mostly new faces. Caden Kitler is the veteran anchor here. As a redshirt senior, he’s the one guy who has seen the "dark days" and stayed. He’ll likely start at center or guard, trying to mesh with a bunch of portal additions.
One of the most intriguing names is Kavion Broussard, the Ole Miss transfer. He’s 6-foot-6 and nearly 320 pounds. He looks the part. If he can lock down a tackle spot, it changes the entire geometry of the offense.
- Kobe Branham (Redshirt Sophomore) – Fort Smith kid who’s finally getting his shot.
- Brooks Edmonson (Redshirt Senior) – Local Bryant product providing much-needed depth.
- Tim Dawn (Redshirt Senior) – The Baylor transfer who needs to prove he can handle SEC defensive tackles.
The Skill Positions: Speed, Size, and "Wait, Who Is That?"
The loss of Isaiah Sategna to the portal hurt. A lot. He was the spark plug. However, the 2025 wide receiver room is trying to replace that speed with pure size.
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Antonio Jordan is a freak of nature. At 6-foot-6, he’s essentially a tight end playing on the outside. He’s only a redshirt freshman, but in the red zone, he’s going to be a nightmare for smaller corners. You’ve also got Jalen Brown, the Florida State transfer, who brings that high-end pedigree even if he hasn't fully "popped" at the college level yet.
At running back, the "stable" is actually pretty solid. Braylen Russell is a tank. 238 pounds of "get out of the way." He’s a junior now, and honestly, he should be the bell cow. But keep an eye on Mike Washington Jr., the transfer from New Mexico State. He doesn't fumble. Like, literally never. In an SEC game where one turnover kills a drive, that reliability is worth its weight in gold.
Defensive Identity: Can They Stop Anyone?
The defense had a total meltdown against Ole Miss last year, and it never really recovered. New defensive coordinator Chris Wilson (elevated from the interim spot) has a massive job.
The linebacker corps is probably the strongest unit on the entire Arkansas football roster 2025. Xavian Sorey Jr. is back after leading the team in tackles. He’s the heart of the defense. Pairing him with the "superstar" recruit Tavion Wallace is what gets fans excited. Wallace had offers from basically every blue-blood program in the country, but he chose Fayetteville. He’s fast enough to cover sideline-to-sideline, which is exactly what you need against the "speed" offenses of the SEC.
The Secondary Overhaul
The secondary was a sieve last year. It’s been completely rebuilt through the portal:
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- Jahiem Johnson (Tulane Transfer): He’s the projected lockdown corner. He had four interceptions in the AAC last year and chose Arkansas over Ole Miss.
- Carter Stoutmire (Colorado Transfer): A physical safety who played a ton of snaps for Deion Sanders. He brings a certain "edge" that was missing.
- Miguel Mitchell: The former Florida transfer who missed time last year but is expected to start at safety.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Roster
The biggest misconception is that Arkansas is "rebuilding." In the age of NIL and the 15-day transfer window, nobody "rebuilds" for three years anymore. You "reload" or you die.
Silverfield is betting on the fact that he can take "productive" players from smaller conferences (like Johnson from Tulane or Oke from Abilene Christian) and trust that their experience outweighs the "raw talent" of four-star freshmen. It’s a gamble. If those guys can’t handle the physical toll of an SEC schedule—especially with Notre Dame and Texas on the slate—it could be a long year.
But honestly? This roster has more depth than the 2024 version. They aren't as top-heavy, but they won't fall apart if two starters go down in Week 4.
Actionable Insights for the 2025 Season
If you're looking at how this roster translates to wins, watch these three things during the spring game:
- The Left Tackle Battle: If Kavion Broussard or Corey Robinson II doesn't claim that spot decisively, the QB situation won't matter because they'll be on their backs.
- The "Big" Target Usage: Watch how often they target Antonio Jordan and Jaden Platt (Texas A&M transfer TE). This team is built to be "big" and physical, not necessarily track-star fast.
- Red Zone Defense: With Michai Boireau (the 350-pound Florida transfer) in the middle, the Hogs should theoretically be much harder to run on near the goal line.
Keep an eye on the second transfer portal window in the spring. Silverfield has already hinted that they aren't done, especially if a veteran quarterback decides to look for a new home after spring ball elsewhere. The Arkansas football roster 2025 is a work in progress, but for the first time in a while, it feels like there's an actual floor to how bad they can be.
Check the official Razorbacks site for the final numerical roster updates before the spring game kicks off in April.