Offensive lineman will transfer from Arkansas football team

FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas redshirt freshman offensive lineman Paris Patterson, a former Rivals 250 player, has told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Patterson, a 6-6, 352-pounder from East Saint Louis, Ill., was an early enrollee at the age of 17 after signing in December 2022.

Patterson, a 4-star prospect by Rivals and a 3-star prospect by 247Sports, signed with Arkansas over LSU, Tennessee, Kansas, Iowa State, Nebraska and others. He did not work his way onto the two-deep depth chart for the Razorbacks during spring training, playing mostly with the third unit.

He did not factor into any games while redshirting in 2023. Patterson will have four years of eligibility remaining where he lands.

Patterson, who will turn 19 on July 20, joined tailback Isaiah Augustave, quarterback Jacolby Criswell and punter Max Fletcher as Arkansas players who are known to have entered the portal, which will close again at the end of the month.

The Razorbacks have added one player this spring in 5-10, 190-pound tailback Rodney Hill, who started his college career at Florida State. Hill, a 4-star prospect from Statesboro, Ga., in the class of 2022, had 50 carries for 190 yards and a touchdown last season.

Arkansas now has 77 scholarship players on the roster, giving Coach Sam Pittman eight available spots for transfers.