Arkansas Football Preseason Outlook: Defensive Line

Arkansas senior defensive end Zach Williams sacks Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant during the third quarter of the Razorbacks’ 31-24 win over the Bearcats on Sept. 3 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Hank Layton)
During SEC Media Days in July, a position group Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said he expects to improve from a season ago is defensive line.
The Razorbacks are expected to play in a four-man front and are hoping to be more aggressive under new coordinator Travis Williams and second-year defensive line coach Deke Adams. Last year’s unit helped break the school sacks record (42), and it has multiple pieces back to go alongside the addition of three Power 5 transfers.
Among the returners is junior defensive end Landon Jackson, who was one of three players who represented Arkansas at media day. Pittman sung the praises of Jackson throughout spring practices and has continued to have positive remarks about his progression.
Jackson revealed he has gained 45 pounds since the Liberty Bowl in December. And technology worn in practice has clocked speeds of up to 20 mph recently. He had 3 sacks, 23 tackles and 1 forced fumble last season while splitting starts with Jonesboro native Jashaud Stewart.
Defensive end Zach Williams had the most tackles and sacks last season among Arkansas’ returners along the line. He had 34 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also matched a team-best with six quarterback hurries.
Stewart is a senior this season and will likely compete for the other starting defensive end position with transfers Trajan Jeffcoat (Missouri) and John Morgan (Pittsburgh). Stewart had 14 tackles with two sacks last season.
Jeffcoat started 10 of Missouri’s 12 games as a redshirt senior in 2022. He had 21 tackles with 2.5 for lost yardage. He is a preseason All-SEC fourth-team selection by Phil Steele. Jeffcoat was a first-team All-SEC pick in 2020 by The Associated Press and the league’s coaches.
He had six sacks that season and forced a fumble.
Morgan had five starts for Pittsburgh a season ago and had 19 tackles with 2.5 sacks. He also forced two fumbles as a redshirt senior.
Taurean Carter missed last season with a torn ACL suffered during spring practices. He was having a strong spring season before the injury and could provide a boost at the defensive tackle position this year. He had 24 tackles with three going for a loss in 2021.
Eric Gregory, Cameron Ball and Maryland transfer Anthony “Tank” Booker are expected to be other big contributors at the tackle position. Ball had 31 tackles with 1 sack and Gregory had 19 tackles with 2 sacks last year. Booker has 37 career tackles and is coming off a 2022 season with bests in tackles (25), tackles for loss (4), sacks (2) and forced fumbles (2).