Five-star defensive end McTelvin Agim, the No. 9-ranked prospect overall in the Class of 2016, made recruiting history Saturday.
The Under Armour All-America Game defender committed to Arkansas over Baylor, Ole Miss and Texas A&M during a family reunion in Texarkana and in doing so became the most significant commitment for the Razorbacks in a decade.
The 6-foot-3, 268-pound Agim became the first five-star ranked prospect to commit to Arkansas in the seven years ESPN has been assigning star rankings to prospects, which covers 97 prospects in those seven years.
Not only is Agim the first five-star to commit to Arkansas, but he is also the first top-10 ranked prospect overall to pick the Razorbacks in the 11 years ESPN has ranked prospects.
Those two facts alone illustrate just how big of a pickup the nation's No. 2-ranked defensive end is for Arkansas, but the verbal commitment is even more meaningful for Razorbacks head coach Bret Bielema.
Keeping the top prospects in state is always goal No. 1 for a coaching staff, and when Agim signs a letter of intent, he will become the third top-ranked prospect in The Natural State in the past four classes to sign with Arkansas. Bielema also had 2015 top-ranked in-state prospect K.J. Hill committed for many months before he opted to ink with national champion Ohio State.
Agim, who has amassed 38 sacks and nine forced fumbles the past two seasons, becomes the third ESPN 300 verbal for the Razorbacks in the 2016 class, joining defensive tackle Briston Guidry and receiver T.J. Hammonds.