Coach Bryan Hodgson arrived to Jonesboro with a reputation as a master recruiter – who by his own telling proved his chops by delivering a “Labors of Hercules” number of recruits for Nate Oates when he was head coach of Buffalo. However, Slaying the Stymphalian Birds or Obtaining the Cattle of the Three-Bodied Giant Geryon pales in comparison to recruiting talent to Arkansas State, where basketball has taken a third-row seat to football for literally decades.

In Year One, Coach Hodgson responded to the challenge by not only drawing high-level talent from the transfer portal, but also retaining high-functioning players who were set to depart upon former head coach Mike Balado’s dismissal. The result was the most memorable season of A-State basketball in decades, with the team reaching the Sun Belt finals before succumbing to a deep and talented James Madison team.

If Arkansas State fans thought Coach Hodgson would settle for plugging holes with Portal muscle, they were delightfully mistaken. In November, the program inked 4-star center Josh Hill. In the same month, Hodgson signed three-star forward R’Chaun King. Lastly, seemingly to finish out the roster, Hodgson brought 3-star forward Justin Johnson aboard (along with his brother Kameron, who averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds at Collin College), cementing what is by far the strongest recruiting glass in the Sun Belt.

It’s not like Hodgson has ignored the transfer portal – his transfer class currently ranks first in the conference. But his high school recruiting has been next level above next level, ranking first in the SBC and 40th nationally (between University of Mississippi and Mississippi State). This just doesn’t happen at Arkansas State, with the landing of Hill setting a new standard for the program.

“I’m really excited to add Josh Hill to our program here at Arkansas State,” Hodgson said in a quote to Mike Harley from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. “Not only is Josh the highest-ranked recruit to ever join the Red Wolves, his upside and potential is through the roof.” King and Johnson are also highly regarded recruits with offers from Alabama, Florida, Memphis and Georgetown. Something about the culture Hodgson is building in Jonesboro seemed appealing to this highly touted trio.

It has to be said that increasingly the level of recruiting isn’t a luxury for Arkansas State; it’s a necessity. Programs such as Appalachian State and James Madison have elevated conference competition, compelling every member of the Sun Belt to up their game. While many stars have portaled out of the conference, the level of talent jumping into the Sun Belt is impressive. Though it would appear that Bryan Hodgson’s Red Wolves are a favorite to win the Sun Belt, the rest of the conference isn’t lying down. Programs like Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss and Georgia State have recruited former 4-star recruits from the transfer portal, signaling a hard fought conference battle come November.

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