FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Defensive tackle Danny Saili joined the Arkansas Razorbacks via the transfer portal last spring to bolster the team’s size and depth on the interior defensive line.
Now entering his second offseason with the program, Saili is starting to catch the attention of the coaching staff.
Although he appeared in seven games last season, his impact was relatively limited—likely a result of arriving in the summer after finishing the spring semester at BYU. With a full offseason under his belt, Saili has made an early impression on head coach Sam Pittman.
“He’ll be part of the rotation, whether he starts or not,” Pittman said. “We rotate our line a lot, and I think he’s really stood out. His quickness and motor have improved, and his ability to move side to side to the football has been boosted by losing some weight.”
Saili came to BYU as the No. 4 defensive tackle in the JUCO ranks and the No. 14 overall prospect nationally, according to 247Sports. At 6-foot-2 and 355 pounds, he had an impressive college career with 39 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and eight sacks—showing his ability to create significant disruption in the backfield.
Now down 30 pounds from when he first arrived 10 months ago, Saili is moving much more fluidly and could be a potential game-changer for Arkansas, providing more than just depth in 2025.
“I’m really high on him right now,” Pittman said. “It’s not just because I was unsure about him before. There were times I wondered, ‘Can he help us?’ But now, it’s shifted from ‘Can he help us?’ to ‘I believe he can help us, and we can win games with him out there.’ He’s been getting great penetration, he runs hard, and he loves to play. It’s definitely changed. I see him being in the rotation, if not running with the first team.”
With senior tackle Cam Ball and transfer David Oke recovering from injuries this spring, other players have had the chance to step up in their absence.
The Razorbacks’ defensive line is going to look quite different this season without long-time contributors Landon Jackson and Eric Gregory, who are waiting to hear their NFL Draft fates this month to see where their next playing destination will be.
1st one of the year🤝🏾 pic.twitter.com/GDdt5Wqhx0
— Quincy Rhodes Jr (@QuincyRhodesJr3) September 29, 2024
“Quincy Rhodes, Ian Geffrard, and Saili are three guys who didn’t get much playing time, but they’ve made as much progress as anyone on the team,” Pittman said on March 20. “They’ve done a really good job.”
In addition to those three, other linemen like Charlie Collins and Kavion Henderson, who were highly regarded coming out of high school, are expected to contribute more this fall.
Transfers Justus Boone and Ken Talley have spent much of the winter and spring getting acclimated with their teammates, learning the playbook, and understanding the expectations along the defensive line.
Pittman also believes his 4-star freshman tackles, Reginald Vaughn and Kevin Oatis, have the potential to earn playing time. While it’s still unclear if they’ll break into the two-deep, he’s pleased with how well his staff has evaluated the defensive line talent.
“[Reginald Vaughn] and [Kevin Oatis] might [contribute],” Pittman said. “They certainly have the athletic ability. I like both of those kids. They’re doing well. They definitely might [play]. They’re both great pickups. I’ll tell you that—they’re athletic.”
Don’t overlook defensive end Caleb Bell, who Pittman is also high on due to his disruptive play in the Georgia high school ranks.
Bell picked Arkansas over offers from Texas, Mississippi State, Florida State, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, and SMU after recording 146 tackles, 40 tackles for loss, 30 quarterback hurries, and 20 sacks during his final two seasons at Milton High School.
“Bell is a guy we really hit on,” Pittman said. “He’s just big, raw, and can run—coming from Milton, Georgia.”
A nice ring to it 🔔
Welcome to Arkansas @caleb95bell 🐗 pic.twitter.com/uBDeZEQEXW
— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 4, 2024
Bell is the son of Kendrell Bell, a former NFL Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowler who had a successful seven-season career in the league.
Having a player with such a professional pedigree on the roster is expected to pay dividends, even though Bell narrowly missed 4-star status in the most recent recruiting cycle.
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