Arkansas releases heartfelt statement after Razorback commit Dion Stutts dies in ATV accident

Arkansas football commit Dion Stutts has passed away unexpectedly, the program announced Wednesday morning.

According to The Commercial Appeal, Stutts died in an ATV accident on his farm in Mississippi. He was 18 years old.

“We are heartbroken over the passing of Dion Stutts. He was a tremendous young man with a bright future ahead of him,” Arkansas football said in a statement on Twitter. “We were as excited to add him to our program as he was to be a Razorback. Our thoughts and prayers are with his mother Shante and father Dino along with his entire family as they deal with this loss.”

Stutts was a defensive lineman in the class of 2024 and a multi-sport star at Memphis University School in Memphis, Tennessee.

In addition to excelling on the football field, he was also an excellent wrestler, placing runner-up in the heavyweight division in 2022 and medaling again in 2023.

“Our hearts are broken for the family. Dion was such a great young man,” Memphis University School football coach and Athletics Director Bobby Alston said, according to The Commercial Appeal. “He had a smile that warmed your heart when you had a chance to be around him.”

The 6-foot-3 junior ranked No. 650 in the class of 2024, according to On3’s Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also ranked as the No. 58 defensive lineman and No. 19 recruit in Tennessee.

Dion Stutts committed to Arkansas on March 13, 2023 following a campus visit. He had also visited Ole Miss four times during his recruitment.

According to The Commercial Appeals, Stutts recorded 30 tackles and 13 tackles for loss as a junior last fall.

“We’re going to miss that smile, miss that wonderful personality and we’re just praying for his family right now,” Alston said, according to The Commercial Appeal.