4-star LB Julius Pope commits to Arkansas Razorbacks

Batesville (Miss.) South Panola four-star linebacker Julius Pope has committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks. He announced the news on Twitter.

Pope is the No. 312 overall prospect and No. 35 linebacker in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 11 player in Mississippi.

Pope isn’t ranked in the 2024 On300, but On3 ranks him as the No. 33 linebacker in the country and the No. 15 player in Mississippi.

1000% committed 🙏🏾#GoHogs @FBCoachJSmith @CoachSamPittman @Coach_MWoodson @T_WILL4REAL pic.twitter.com/rgrIlLR6dB

— JuJu Pope 🐐 (@juju_pope) April 9, 2023

Pope had stayed fairly quiet on the recruiting trail up until he January. He picked up an offer from Alabama on Jan. 28 and that offer was followed up by offers from Michigan, Arkansas, Louisville and Oregon.

The Razorbacks extended their offer to Pope on Jan. 31 and he was on campus in Fayetteville in early March.

“Coach Pitt is a great guy and he keeps it real,” Pope told On3 following the visit. “He makes it fun. I spent time with him and Marcus Woodson on the visit. Coach Woodson is a great coach and fun to be around too.

“The coaches and the environment stood out most at Arkansas. I had a great time on the tour, taking pictures and eating at the Jerry Jones building.”

Pope currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $36K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Where Arkansas sits following Pope’s commitment

Pope’s commitment is the latest win in what’s been a good month and a half on the recruiting trail for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas entered 2023 with one commitment in its 2024 class in Leeds (Ala.) four-star linebacker Kavion Henderson. Since the start of March though, the Razorbacks have picked up three new commitments.

Memphis (Tenn.) Memphis University School three-star defensive lineman Dion Stutts announced his commitment on March 11, that was followed up Ocean Spring (Miss.) St. Martin four-star wide receiver Noreel White on March 13 and now Pope.

With the four commitments they have now, Arkansas’ 2024 class ranks as the No. 17 class in the country and the No. 9 class in the SEC.