Arkansas football transfer portal tracker: Defensive commits roll in for Ryan Silverfield

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Day 5 of the 2026 transfer portal was the most successful yet for Ryan Silverfield and Arkansas football.

The Razorbacks secured four commitments on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Three came from Power 4 schools, with the lone Group of 5 addition being a member of the Tulane defense that reached this season's College Football Playoff.

There is still plenty of work to do as the Hogs are ushering in a new era under Silverfield and will need a roster revamp over the next two weeks. A slew of Arkansas players announced they will enter the portal before it opened, and more could follow in the coming days.

The portal will close January 16 and won't open again during the offseason, which is a notable change from past years. The spring window has been eliminated.

Here's an updated look at who is coming and who is going for the Razorbacks:

Who is joining Arkansas football via the transfer portal

CB Jahiem Johnson, Tulane

Johnson recorded 42 tackles, four interceptions and nine pass deflections in 2025. 247Sports ranks Johnson as the seventh-best transfer cornerback. He is the No. 115 overall player and Silverfield's highest-rated commit of the window. The Louisiana native just wrapped up his redshirt sophomore season with the Green Wave, who reached the College Football Playoff and lost to Ole Miss in the first round.

DL Hunter Osborne, Virginia

Osborne was a four-star recruit who began his career at Alabama and spent the 2025 season with the Cavaliers. He recorded 18 tackles, four tackles for loss and one sack. He will compete for immediate snaps along the interior of the Razorbacks' defensive line.

DL Carlon Jones, Southern California

Jones redshirted in 2024 and logged four total tackles in 2025. He was the No. 31 defensive lineman and the No. 216 player overall in the class of 2024, coming out of Bay City High School in Texas.

RB Jasper Parker, Michigan

Parker logged 25 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns in his freshman season with the Wolverines. Prior to Michigan, Parker was a four-star recruit out of Louisiana. He will compete with Braylen Russell and incoming Memphis transfer Sutton Smith for snaps at running back.

QB AJ Hill, Memphis

Hill will be a redshirt freshman in 2026 and has four years of eligibility remaining. He completed 19 of 32 passes for 223 yards with one touchdown and one interception in limited action this fall with the Tigers. Hill was one of the highest-ranked recruits in Memphis history when he signed with the Tigers as a member of their 2025 class. The 247Sports Composite rated Hill as the No. 187 player overall and the No. 15 quarterback. Arkansas will need to add two more quarterbacks in the transfer portal to join KJ Jackson and Hill.

LB Ja'Quavion Smith, Howard

The North Carolina native spent the last two seasons at the FCS level and will have two years of eligibility with Arkansas. Smith posted 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles as a sophomore in 2025. The 247Sports Composite rates Smith No. 51 among transfer linebackers.

WR Jamari Hawkins, Memphis

Hawkins will be a redshirt senior next year as he follows Silverfield from Memphis to Arkansas. He saw the first meaningful action of his career in 2025 when he caught 38 passes for 623 yards and two touchdowns. Arkansas is losing O'Mega Blake and Raylen Sharpe to graduation, but CJ Brown and Antonio Jordan will be back in 2026.

K Max Gilbert, Tennessee

Gilbert was Tennessee's starting kicker in each of the last two seasons, going 34 for 45 with five makes longer than 50 yards. Arkansas already had a kicker in the fold, but after Gilbert's addition, Scott Starzyk announced he would enter the transfer portal.

OL Malachi Breland, Memphis

The 6-foot-5, 340-pound guard is following Silverfield to Arkansas. He is rated as the No. 21 interior offensive lineman and the No. 399 player overall, according to the 247Sports Composite. Breland was a three-star recruit out of Laurel High School (Miss.) in the class of 2023. He was a redshirt sophomore in 2025 and should compete for a starting guard spot in 2026.

LS Adam Johnston, Sacramento State

Johnston will join the Razorbacks after previous long snapper Ashton Ngo ran out of eligibility after the 2025 season. Ngo is applying for a waiver to play in 2026, but he won't stay in Fayetteville if that waiver is granted.

S Christian Harrison, Cincinnati

Harrison began his career at Tennessee but spent last season with the Bearcats. He logged 66 tackles, seven pass deflections and one interception. His position coach at Cincinnati, Eddie Hicks, is now the cornerbacks coach at Arkansas.

K Braedan McAlister, Georgia State

McAlister is 4 for 9 on field goals in his college career, but he won't be expected to start at Arkansas. The Hogs will return Scott Starzyk, who went 14 for 18 as a freshman in 2025.

DL Antonio Sandel-Boscomb, Coffeyville Community College

Sandel-Boscomb will join Ryand Silverfield in Fayetteville after being a priority junior college target while the coach was at Memphis. At 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, the defensive tackle will have two years of eligibility. Sandel-Boscomb logged 29 tackles and 2.5 sacks at Coffeyville C.C. in 2025.

Who is leaving Arkansas football via the transfer portal

DT Kevin Oatis

Oatis redshirted and saw action in four games during his first season of college football. He had two tackles in the Razorbacks win over Arkansas State.

DB Ahkhari Johnson

Johnson made four tackles in eight games as a sophomore in 2025. He also played in 10 games as a true freshman in 2024 and was a three-star recruit coming out of Pleasant Grove High School in Texarkana, Texas.

K Scott Starzyk

Starzyk was 14 for 18 as a freshman in 2025. He was one of the highest-rated kicker recruits coming out of high school, but he will seek a new team after Arkansas brought in two kickers from the portal on Sunday, Jan. 4.

WR Krosse Johnson

Johnson played in nine games across two seasons with the Razorbacks, including a redshirt year as a freshman. He had three catches for 34 yards with Arkansas.

WR Kam Shanks

Shanks caught nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown during his lone season with the Razorbacks. He was brought in to make an impact on special teams and finished with 17 punt returns for 107 total yards.

OL E'Marion Harris

This one is a big blow for the Razorbacks as Harris started 24 games across the last two seasons all across the Arkansas offensive line. He was the right tackle in 2025, and the Hogs will now need to replace both Harris and Corey Robinson on the outside.

WR Zach Taylor

Played in three games during the 2025 season but did not record any catches. He was a consensus three-star prospect in the class of 2024.

DB Jaden Allen

Allen redshirted in 2024 and only played in the season opener during 2025. He made one tackle in the victory over Alabama A&M.

DL Ken Talley

Talley made three tackles and played in three games during his lone season at Arkansaa afrer transferring in from Michigan State.

RB Rodney Hill

Hill primarily served as the third-string running back across two years with Arkansas. He finished his Razorbacks' career with 36 carries for 220 yards and two touchdowns.

LB Andrew Harris

The UCF transfer made two tackles in three games during his only season with the Razorbacks.

CB Selman Bridges

Bridges played in two games and redshirted as a sophomore. He was one of the top recruits in the 2024 class but never cracked the cornerback rotation at Arkansas.

OL LJ Prudhomme

Prudhomme played in four games and redshirted as a freshman. He was a three-star prospect who stood out to coaches in fall camp.

DL Charlie Collins

Collins was a gem in the 2024 recruiting class and earned trust and playing time as a sophomore in 2025. He made three starts and racked up nine tackles with one tackle for loss.

WR Andy Jean

Jean caught one pass for 21 yards and played in five games during his lone season with the Razorbacks as a redshirt junior.

QB Grayson Wilson

The in-state product will leave after not seeing any action as a freshman. Arkansas could add as many as three quarterbacks in the transfer portal.

DL Kavion Henderson

Henderson made two tackles in two games as a redshirt freshman in 2025. The Alabama native was a four-star prospect coming out of high school.

DL Justus Boone

Boone transferred in from Florida and made three starts while being a regular in the defensive line rotation. Boone tallied 28 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack in his lone season with the Razorbacks.

LB JJ Shelton

Shelton's playing time increased toward the end of the season as he was inserted into dime packages as a pass-coverage linebacker. He finished his freshman season with seven tackles, one sack and a pass breakup in nine games.

LB Justin Logan

Logan made one tackle across two seasons with the Razorbacks. He redshirted in 2024 and played in the 2025 season opener against Alabama A&M.

QB Trever Jackson

Jackson was the third-string quarterback for Arkansas in 2025 after transferring in from Florida State.

S Miguel Mitchell

Mitchell transferred to Arkansas from Florida prior to the 2024 season. In his two years with the Razorbacks, he played in 17 games with five starts. In 2025, Mitchell recorded 52 tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one interception. Arkansas will need to replace all three of its primary safeties.

DT Ian Geffrard

Geffrard started all 12 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2025. He logged 25 tackles, four tackles for loss and zero sacks. Geffrard got stronger as the year wore on with 15 tackles in his final five games.

OL Blake Cherry

Cherry saw action in all 12 games during his freshman season and received rave reviews from older teammates throughout fall camp.

DL Kaleb James

James played in all 12 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2025. He made three tackles, with most of his playing time coming on special teams.

LB Tavion Wallace

Wallace logged two tackles against Arkansas State, which represented his only statistical output on the year. He was a consensus four-star prospect and the highest-ranked player in Arkansas' 2025 recruiting class.

DB Keshawn Davila

Davila made two tackles and had two pass breakups in his lone season with the Razorbacks. He was a four-star prospect coming out of the junior college ranks.

OL Shaq McRoy

McRoy was brought in last offseason as an Oregon transfer who was supposed to be a multi-year stater. Instead, he spent one season at Arkansas as the backup right tackle to E'Marion Harris.

What does Arkansas football need from transfer portal?

The short answer to the question above is a little bit of everything.

On defense, Arkansas needs new talent at defensive tackle, linebacker and safety. None of those positions were good enough in 2025 and will only return one starter. Silverfield has a blank canvas outside of defensive end Quincy Rhodes.

On offense, the Razorbacks must find a slew of newcomers at the skill positions. Arkansas' leading rusher and three leading receivers from 2025 are gone. Silverfield needs to find an SEC-quality running back to pair with Braylen Russell. It will be interesting to monitor who Arkansas acquires at wide receiver with CJ Brown, Courtney Crutchfield and Antonio Jordan all possible returnees.

The offensive line has the best foundation on the roster with the returns of Kobe Branham and Caden Kitler. The Hogs will be in the market for a starting left tackle to replace Corey Robinson, but they also need depth.

Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football transfer portal tracker: Power 4 transfers commit

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