Published: Tuesday, December 8, 2020
It appears the University of Arkansas will be in the race for junior running back Damari Alston thanks to his relationship with running backs coach Jimmy Smith.
Alston, 5-11, 205 pounds, of Woodward Academy in Atlanta, reports 46 scholarship offers from schools such as Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Florida, Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State and others.
Smith led Cedar Grove High School in Georgia to state championships in 2016 and 2018 before joining the staff at Georgia State and offering Alston as a freshman.
“Almost every day he hits me up and we’re talking,” Alston said of Smith. “We already had a close relationship because he used to coach down here at Cedar Grove High School, and he also coached at Georgia State, where he offered me there, too.
“He’s always checking in with me making sure I’m doing good. I know Arkansas is going to be one of my top schools in the long run.”
While Arkansas has a 3-6 record going into Saturday’s home game against Alabama, Alston isn’t putting too much stock in the win column because of the job Coach Sam Pittman and his staff are doing.
“Pittman came to Arkansas and he’s changing the culture,” Alston said. “He’s turning everything around from having a bad season last year to having a pretty good season this year.
“The record really doesn’t define Arkansas. There’s some games there that I think they got robbed, like the Auburn game. I think they should’ve won that one.”
He thinks the Razorbacks are moving in the right direction.
“I just feel like everything is being turned around and Coach Smith can develop me to be a great running back at the next level,” Alston said.
He has rushed 224 times for 1,434 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also has 20 receptions for 282 yards and 2 touchdowns as the War Eagles head into the second round of the Class 5A playoffs against Warner Robins.
National recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of CBS Sports Network has met with Alston twice and rates him a 4-star prospect.
“He has good size, excellent speed, vision and balance,” Lemming said. “He also has a terrific pair of hands. He caught 22 passes as a sophomore. He ranks among the top three running backs in Georgia’s 2022 class.”
Alston, who has a 3.8 GPA, is considering business as a major in large part because his parents are business professionals.
He estimates he is in communication with about half of the schools who have offered him.
“Some schools are not communicating with me because they don’t think they have a shot,” Alston said. “I’m not really into big-name offers. I’m just trying to go somewhere I fit and (am) able to play.”
Alston has been inspired by his older brother, Tysean Carter, who played running back at Gardner-Webb.
“I watched him play and I was like, ‘Wow, I want to be like my brother,’ and that’s why I wear No. 6 now because he used to wear No. 6 in high school,” Alston said. “He inspired me to push myself and work hard.”
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