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Commitment breakdown: Arkansas lands Jordan Walsh

One of the nation's hottest programs continued down its impressive path on Thursday evening, when Eric Musslemen and Arkansas landed the commitment of four-star forward Jordan Walsh. Below, Rivals.com examines what the Razorbacks are getting in their newest pledge as well as what it means for the bigger picture.


WHAT ARKANSAS IS GETTING

Walsh has shined at both forward spots in the past, but will likely be a wing at the college level. That said, his length and strength allow him to make an impact on the boards and provide some semblance of defensive versatility. The 6-foot-7 Walsh is capable of knocking down an open jumper from deep, but his offensive game is more about getting to the bucket, drawing contact and finishing through the trees.

He’s not a polished prospect as things stand, but Walsh has plenty of athleticism to lean on until he becomes a more consistent shooter and more well-rounded player. He has the feel of a player that could really come into his own in his second or third year in Fayetteville once he takes on some coaching and gets comfortable with his role.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BIG PICTURE

Success tends to compound in college athletics, and the momentum Eric Musslemen has built in Fayetteville over the last couple of seasons is palpable. Last year’s run to the Elite 8 helped lead to the program landing five-star guard Nick Smith, and today’s news seems to be yet another domino in the rise of the Razorbacks as a sustainable power.

The idea of the Hogs landing a five-star and following it up by beating out schools like Texas, Kansas and others to land another highly ranked national prospect a few weeks later would have seemed like a fever dream not long ago. Alas, here we are. Mussleman may have built his recruiting reputation via the transfer market and other less conventional ways to assemble a winning team, but it seems as though he won’t be forced to rely on such things going forward. There are few fan bases in America that have better reasons to be optimistic about the future than that of Arkansas

IN HIS WORDS:
“I like how the whole staff is in sync with each other. Coach (Eric) Musselman has coached in the NBA so I have no doubt he knows what he’s doing.” -- Walsh to Rivals.co’s Jamie Shaw earlier this year

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