FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. –John Calipari is no slouch when it comes to recruiting, and it is evident as the Arkansas Razorbacks edge closer to signing another top basketball recruit.
For years, Calipari has dominated every recruiting class. That is part of why he is known as such a successful coach. Even in the age of NIL, he is still at the top of his game, as shown by the 2026 class headlined by Jordan Smith Jr.
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Now his chances of landing another top recruiting class have increased for the class of 2027. Third overall recruit, according to 247Sports, Cayden Daughtry has narrowed down his recruitment to 14 schools. While this is an odd and large number, Arkansas seems to be ahead of the pack when it comes to NIL and the chance of being drafted.
Right now the main schools that pose a threat to Calipari are the Florida Gators and the University of Connecticut Huskies. Both schools have recent success and pipelines to the pros.
Other schools in this list that pose a slightly less threat include the Kentucky Wildcats, Providence Friars, and Michigan Wolverines. While all three have either recent success or history, recent changes don’t make them as big a threat to recruiting Daughtry to Arkansas.
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The pitch for Daughtry to become a Razorback is quite simple. Calipari has one thing other schools cannot promise: stardom.
It has always been in the legendary coach’s system that youth takes priority. That is part of why Darius Acuff Jr. became a lottery pick last season. This is something Florida and UConn do not do, and always bring in some age to balance out the team.
Mar 15, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives to the basket past Vanderbilt Commodores forward Devin McGlockton (99) during the first half during the men’s SEC Conference Tournament Championship at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If Daughtry truly wants the best path to the NBA and being a college basketball star, his best option is Arkansas. There are some other issues, though, with recruiting him.
The main one is the pursuit of number one prospect Beckham Black. Both Black and Daughtry play the same position, and it is hard to envision a world where both end up on the same college program. Calipari has to decide which prospect he would rather have.
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At the moment, Black seems like the prospect the Razorbacks will land on. He has the OTE connections to Calipari, and his brother Anthony Black also played for Arkansas. That already makes the choice easier for the number one recruit.
Another limiter to Daughtry is his size. At six feet tall, he is going to be hunted on the defensive end just like Acuff was. This was one reason the Razorbacks could not go farther in the postseason. That one reason may be enough for Calipari to focus on the slightly bigger guard in Black.
Overall, this is still a good sign that Arkansas made it on Daughtry’s next selection list. Even if it leads to a direct signing, it proves Arkansas is moving away from a football school to a basketball powerhouse.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as Cayden Daughtry Narrows Down Top Schools with Arkansas Making the Cut.
