Are Razorbacks missing the boat on Fayetteville QB Lindsey?
I understand that I don’t get paid to evaluate high school football talent, but as my amateur eyes watched Saturday’s Class 7A state championship game in Little Rock, I couldn’t help but wonder why the Arkansas football program has shown absolutely no interest in Fayetteville quarterback Drake Lindsey.
Lindsey wrapped up his storybook high school career with a 355-yard passing performance in the 22-16 win over Bentonville in the title game, while securing MVP honors.
As a long-time sports scribe I have been fortunate enough to see many great high school players over the past 35 years. I have even gotten to know a few of them, personally. I have found that it is not only the raw talent that will lead to success at the next level, but also the character and the proverbial “it” factor the athlete possesses.
After covering many of Lindsey’s games over the past two seasons, I have seen a plethora of both. Not only is he one of the most dynamic, consistent passers I have seen, but his humility and respect for those around him, is undeniable.
You want size? He stands 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and is a load to bring down. You want consistency? He completes 70 percent of his passes, often dropping deep dimes down field. You want gaudy numbers? Look no further than the 7,667 yards and 89 touchdowns he has thrown over the past two seasons. You want success? He just led the storied Fayetteville program to its first-ever perfect state championship season.
As the state’s most prolific drop-back passer the past two seasons, Lindsey is rated the No. 5 overall player in the state for the 2024 class, according to 247Sports, and the No. 33 pro-style quarterback nationally.
It is somewhat understandable why the Razorbacks shied away from him under the previous offensive regime, for schematic reasons. The Arkansas offense was based more on a spread attack, better suited for dual-threat signal-callers. Still, how can you not at least test the waters with one of the state’s best quarterbacks, who plays his games right across the street.
Lindsey, who committed to the University of Minnesota on May 12, is a pure pro-style quarterback. But what he may lack in mobility, he makes up for with his down-field vision and quick release – a la Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson, two of the most successful passers in Razorback history.
Ironically, Mallett and Wilson’s success was a direct product of Bobby Petrino’s offensive wizardry. One of college football’s most innovative offensive minds of the past 25 years, Petrino has recently mended some fences and now finds himself back in Fayetteville, tasked with rehabbing a less-than-stellar offensive attack.
His successful recipe for moving the ball downfield is based on a “feeding the studs” philosophy, which consists of having a quarterback who can quickly distribute the ball effectively to playmakers across all areas of the field. Granted, the 6-foot-7 Mallett and the 6-foot-3 Wilson were surrounded by a few more “stud” weapons during their times at Arkansas, but having the right trigger-man is always essential.
Watching Lindsey take the shotgun snap, go through his progressions and quickly fire downfield with consistent accuracy, takes me back to those earlier pre-ride Petrino days. This kid is a bonafide distributor, who makes few mistakes.
Fayetteville head coach Casey Dick, a former Hog quarterback himself, said Lindsey has the size and talent to excel anywhere he plays, and is disappointed that Arkansas has not shown more interest. Former Razorback head coach Houston Nutt has also publicly questioned the Razorbacks’ lack of interest in Lindsey.
Then there is the deep-rooted legacy that the Lindsey family has built in Razorback football over the past 60 years. Not saying that his name alone should draw the Hogs’ utmost attention, but when you add that to his skill set, the question lingers.
His grandfather, Jim, was an Arkansas legend, helping lead the Razorbacks to the 1964 National Championship. His father, John David, and uncle, Lyndy, also wore the Hog on the helmet, as did his cousin, Jack, a quarterback from 2016-19.
Drake obviously grew up a devout Hog fan, always dreaming of continuing that Razorback legacy. But when your dream school won’t even give you the time of day, what else can you do? Head north, I guess.
With the current state of the Arkansas program, much has been said about the lack of home-grown, in-state talent — kids that were born and raised with the heart of a Razorback. Of course, they also need to be talented. But few quarterbacks have proven to be better than Lindsey on the field, and his pure Hog pedigree is unmatched.
He admitted that he was somewhat heart-broken early in the recruiting process, being shunned by his home-state school, but has since re-focused his vision to going someplace that he is wanted, and being the best player that he can be. If Arkansas was to do an about-face and show some late interest, would he consider a flip before the Dec. 20 early-signing period? Possibly, but he can only cross that bridge if it is presented.
Like many others who have left the state of Arkansas to shine at various out-of-state schools, Lindsey may soon have the Hogs regretting their decision.
