4-star ATH Courtney Crutchfield commits to Arkansas Razorbacks: 'It's the place for me'

Around a month ago, Pine Bluff (Ark.) four-star athlete Courtney Crutchfield got on the phone with Arkansas wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton. The first thing Guiton asked him about was how his family was doing.

That moment helped elevate the Razorbacks to the top of Crutchfield’s list. On Friday, he announced his commitment to Arkansas.

“The bond with them is different,” Crutchfield told On3. “They stay on me, they stayed hitting me up like every other day. The bond that I have with coach Kenny Guiton, he just set the tone.”

Crutchfield has been to Fayetteville around three times. While on campus, he got a firsthand look at the culture of Arkansas, who finished 7-6 last season with a victory in the Liberty Bowl.

The 6-foot-0.5, 170-pound athlete could quickly sense a brotherhood within the program and felt appreciated by not only the Razorbacks’ coaches, but also their players. Eventually, he figured out that Arkansas would be the best fit for his college football career.

“It was pretty easy because of the bond I had with them and how much they stayed attached to me,” said Crutchfield, the No. 371 overall prospect and No. 18 athlete in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. “They showed me it’s the place for me to be and I’m there with somebody that really cares about me.”

Crutchfield believes in Sam Pittman and Arkansas’ staff

According to Crutchfield, he first met Guiton in ninth grade. In addition to their longtime relationship, he likes how the Arkansas assistant works with the Razorbacks’ wide receivers.

Overall, Crutchfield was impressed with how Arkansas’ offensive staff operated. He trusts in the vision that head coach Sam Pittman is implementing for the future.

“He’s building a legacy,” Crutchfield said. “He really doesn’t want in-state kids to leave. He’s gonna get it on the right track.”

With his commitment, Crutchfield became the first in-state pledge in Arkansas’ 2024 recruiting class. He joins multiple offensive playmakers, including Ocean Springs (Miss.) St. Martin four-star wide receiver Noreel White and Montgomery (Ala.) St. James School four-star quarterback KJ Jackson.

Crutchfield knew he was pledging to the Razorbacks a little less than two weeks ago. So, he called Pittman on Easter to share the good news.

“He was surprised,” Crutchfield said. “…He’s a good man. He’s gonna look out for you, he’s gonna do what he’s got to do to put you in the right position to be successful.”