College football fans are counting down the days to EA Sports’ new game, College Football 27. The Arkansas Razorbacks, though, aren’t getting much love from the rankings—they’re sitting at the bottom of the SEC.
Arkansas landed an overall rating of 80, the lowest in the Southeastern Conference. Offense is at 80, defense just a tick higher at 81, so yeah, they’ve got work to do.
The game drops officially on July 9, but MVP+ members can jump in a week early on July 2. This year’s roster is full of new faces and potential surprises, and fans are already speculating.
Razorbacks’ Team and Player Ratings
EA Sports pegged Arkansas as the SEC’s lowest-rated squad in College Football 27. The overall is 80, with the offense and defense mirroring each other at 80 and 81.
That puts them just behind Vanderbilt, which managed an 81. Still, there are a few bright spots on the roster—players who might just surprise us.
Top-Rated Players
Defensive end Quincy Rhodes Jr. leads the team with a 90 rating. He made Second Team All-SEC and skipped the NFL Draft to come back for another year.
Last season, Rhodes racked up 44 tackles, 15.5 for loss, and eight sacks. He’s the anchor for this defense, no question.
Next up is running back Braylen Russell, rated 86. Russell’s sophomore year was solid—286 rushing yards and five touchdowns in just nine games.
Key Transfers
Three transfers from Memphis—receiver Jamari Hawkins, left guard Malachi Breland, and running back Sutton Smith—all come in at 85. Hawkins caught 38 passes for 623 yards and two scores last season, so he’s probably going to be a go-to target.
Smith put up 669 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games. He’ll be sharing backfield duties with Russell. Breland is expected to help shore up the offensive line—a spot Arkansas really needs help.
Quarterback Battle
The quarterback situation? It’s up in the air. KJ Jackson and AJ Hill are still duking it out, and neither separated themselves during spring.
Jackson comes in at 74 overall—he’s got some speed (84), not much strength (64), but decent agility (89). Hill is at 72 overall, with 82 speed, 71 strength, and 84 agility.
Neither has much real game experience, which is a bit worrying. It’s anyone’s guess who’ll start come fall.
Jackson’s Experience
Jackson started one game last year, but it was a mess thanks to the rotating QBs under interim coach Bobby Petrino. Other than that, he only saw mop-up duty against Alabama A&M, Arkansas State, Texas, and Texas A&M.
He finished with 441 passing yards, three touchdowns, and ran for 52 yards with two more scores. Not a huge sample size, but he’s flashed some potential.
Hill’s Performance
Hill’s in the same boat—19 completions on 32 attempts for 223 yards, one touchdown, and an interception last year. Both guys need to step up if Arkansas wants to climb out of the SEC basement.
Overall Team Composition
EA Sports has the Razorbacks with 64 players on the roster. Fifteen are rated between 80 and 89, and 41 fall in the 70s.
Seven players sit between 62 and 69. The lowest-rated? Defensive back DJ Hairston Jr., a JUCO transfer, at 62.
Hairston made 18 tackles and grabbed two picks at Hinds Community College, and he got some good run in the spring game. Just above him is Nsongbeh Ginyui, another JUCO transfer, rated 66—he made headlines with a pick-six off Hill in the spring game.
Defensive Potential
The defense might surprise us. Rhodes Jr. is expected to lead up front, and new JUCO guys like Hairston and Ginyui could add some much-needed depth.
The 81 defensive rating leaves room to grow, but there’s a chance for some breakout performances too.
Offensive Challenges
The offense? That’s where things get tricky. They need some stability at quarterback if they’re going to score points.
Russell and Smith could be a strong one-two punch in the run game, and Hawkins has the skills to be a real threat catching passes. But unless the O-line—especially with Breland now in the mix—holds up, it could be a long year for the Razorbacks’ offense.
Looking Ahead
As the Razorbacks gear up for the new season, fans are going to be glued to the progress of key players. The quarterback battle is especially interesting—it’s anyone’s guess how that’ll play out.
Right now, the team’s ratings in College Football 27 aren’t exactly thrilling. Still, there’s a shot for things to turn around as the season unfolds.
EA Sports is supposed to update player and team ratings during the year. Maybe that’ll give the Razorbacks a chance to move up in the SEC rankings, if all goes well.
If you want the nitty-gritty details on Arkansas Razorbacks’ ratings and player profiles, check the full article on HawgBeat. Keep an eye out for more updates as we get closer to the release of College Football 27 and the college football season kickoff.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
