4-Star TE Luke Ford Commits to Arkansas

The Arkansas Razorbacks' 2018 recruiting class got a big boost Tuesday as 4-star tight end Luke Ford committed to the program.

Ford announced his pledge to the Razorbacks on Twitter:

Coming out of Carterville High School in Carterville, Illinois, Ford is rated as a 4-star prospect by Scout.com with a 6'6", 250-pound frame.

Beyond the raw measurables, Scout.com's scouting report for Ford paints a very exciting picture of what Arkansas has is in store:

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Ford has a massive frame, the type of frame that would tempt some schools to make him an offensive tackle, but he shows the run after catch ability and natural ball skills to be a threat as a tight end in college. He uses his height and range and catches the ball very naturally away from his body. While maybe not a "make you miss" guy after the catch, he shows enough foot speed to turn short passes into long gains and is a tough guy for defensive backs to bring down in the open field.

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Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema has had success developing tight ends in recent years. Jeremy Sprinkle had 380 receiving yards last season and is ranked as the No. 11 tight end prospect in this year's NFL draft by Matt Miller. Hunter Henry was drafted 35th overall by the San Diego Chargers last year.

Ford will continue that tradition for Arkansas when he arrives on campus in 2018, though Bielema has to start producing results on the field after being stuck in seven- to eight-win terrain over the past three seasons.

Recruiting in the SEC is incredibly difficult. The Razorbacks had a strong class in 2017, finishing 27th nationally, but that was only good for 10th in the conference, per Scout.com.

Adding a prime recruit like Ford early in the recruiting process for next year gives Arkansas something to build on in the coming months. He's a talented player who will make an instant impact for the offense.