DL Ari Slocum commits to Arkansas: 'It is a great place to be'

Farmerville (La.) Union Parish defensive lineman Ari Slocum has committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks. Schools like Houston, Louisiana Tech and Missouri are schools that have offered that were on his radar too, but the feeling in Fayetteville was different.

“When I was there for Junior Day a couple of weeks ago, that is when Arkansas offered me,” Slocum told On3. “I was there for the Louisiana Tech game too, so it was my second visit and it had that feeling about it.

“I loved the environment, the looks, the people and the place. Arkansas is an amazing place, it is close to home and the feeling I had on that visit didn’t go away, so I committed to them.”

Deke Adams offered Slocum on the visit and the defender in the Boot State returned the favor on Monday.

“Since he offered me in person on the visit, I wanted to commit to him in person too. He is a great guy. Coach Adams came at me as a person first, before football, and that meant a lot. Don’t get me wrong, football is important, but he cares about his players off the field too. The way he offered me and recruited me meant something.”

The 6-foot-3, 280-pound junior has same thoughts on head coach Sam Pittman.

“Coach Pittman is an amazing man. He is genuine and he has kept it real with me and my mom. We had an awesome conversation on the visit and we learned a lot about him. Like coach Adams, he cares about the players, he wants his guys to graduate and me and my like coach Pittman a lot.”

Slocum thought about committing right after the visit. He waited. A week and a half later, the same thoughts he had in Fayetteville, he had in Farmsville. That decision was made last week and he is excited about it.

“That welcome they had for me and my mom at Arkansas was awesome,” Slocum said. “It is a great place to be. We love the staff. They make it feel like I am enrolled there already.”