The Finish Line Is Set for a Top Running Back Recruit

Jeremiah Dent has been one of the most closely watched prospects in Arkansas this cycle, and now his recruitment has a finish line.

The Marion three-star running back has set a commitment date for the first week of May and narrowed his choices to five programs that have stayed consistent throughout his process.

Dent will pick from Ole Miss, Arkansas, Miami, Vanderbilt, and Auburn.

It is a smaller, more focused group than the eight schools he listed earlier this offseason, and it reflects which staffs have made the strongest push as spring evaluations get underway.

“Ole Miss made my Top 8 because that’s the school who have been the most consistent with me and I visited them so much, it’s like why not put them in when I visited over 10 times,” Dent said to Rivals last month. “This staff is actually more bought in and ready to work! The last staff, I barely saw Lane (Kiffin) make an impact at practice.”

Dent is the top ranked player in Arkansas and one of the most productive backs in the region. He rushed for 1,057 yards on just 102 carries last fall and finished with 22 total touchdowns and nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards.

That kind of efficiency drew interest from all over the country, but the five schools left standing have been the most persistent.

Ole Miss has been in the middle of this recruitment from the start.

Pete Golding and his staff have made Dent a priority as they try to build on a 2027 class that already sits inside the national top ten.

The Rebels have multiple blue chip commitments on board, including defensive lineman Ben Jarvius Shumaker, and Dent would fit the profile of the kind of skill talent they want to add early.

Arkansas has the in state pull. Miami and Auburn have both recruited him hard. Vanderbilt has stayed in the picture longer than some expected. Dent has kept an open mind throughout, but the next month will bring clarity.

A commitment date is set. The list is down to five.

Now the real stretch run begins as one of the top backs in the region gets ready to make his call.