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Arkansas football commit Courtney Crutchfield relishing Razorbacks' recruiting momentum

Jackson Fuller, Fort Smith Southwest Times Record
·3 min read

Courtney Crutchfield likes to see his teammates shine. The senior wide receiver from Pine Bluff High School loves making big plays, but he also relishes the opportunity to create openings for those around him.

That mindset also spills over to the recruiting landscape. Sam Pittman and Arkansas football are on a roll this fall, and Crutchfield is enjoying all the momentum after committing to the Razorbacks in June.

"I like to see people eat," Crutchfield said Friday after Pine Bluff's 45-13 win over Little Rock Central. "It's no fun to eat alone. Let's all go have fun together. This has been crazy fun to watch because we got guys wanting to come to Arkansas and it's a big-time blessing."

Pine Bluff High School wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield poses on a visit to the University of Arkansas prior to his commitment in June.
Pine Bluff High School wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield poses on a visit to the University of Arkansas prior to his commitment in June.

In the past two weeks, the Razorbacks have received three big commitments. Tay Lockett, a projected five-star 2026 safety out of California, got the ball rolling and gave Pittman his pledge on Aug. 24. In the same recruiting class, offensive lineman Bear McWhorter (Ga.) jumped on board just three days later. Both recruits chose Arkansas over a host of SEC schools.

And on Aug. 30, Pittman added to his future offensive line with the commitment of Kai Greer, a four-star out of North Carolina. Greer was previously committed to Stanford and had offers from Texas A&M and Ole Miss.

For Crutchfield, these additions are just further proof that Arkansas coaches are building meaningful relationships that could result in some historic recruiting classes.

"(Sam Pittman) just always shows love. He's a real people person and we know he cares about us," Crutchfield said. "And Coach Guiton, he's my dog. He calls me every chance he gets. We laugh. We joke. It doesn't matter what we talk about. It's all love."

Arkansas sits at No. 20 in the 247sports.com class of 2024 rankings. The Razorbacks haven't finished inside the top-20 of 247's class rankings since 2009.

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Crutchfield is a big factor in the Razorbacks' current standing. He and defensive back Selman Bridges (Tx.) would be the first Arkansas signees ranked inside the top-75 of 247's player rankings since 2016.

Being that type of highly-ranked, in-state recruit brings Crutchfield a ton of pride, but he knows he also represents the Pine Bluff community.

"Not too many people come from where I come from and make it to that top level," Crutchfield said. "Playing in the SEC, I just want to put on for my state but also my city and my school. That only strives me to go harder on the field and off the field."

Crutchfield still has a senior high school season to finish before he arrives in Fayetteville. Until then, he says there will be trolling in the Arkansas class of 2024 group chat as the group continues to bond.

What do they hope to accomplish with the Razorbacks? There's no holding back on high aspirations.

"A national championship."

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Courtney Crutchfield explains Arkansas football's recruiting momentum