FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - APRIL 26: Head Coach Bret Bielema of the Arkansas Razorbacks watches his team warm up before the Red White Spring Football game at Razorback Stadium on April 26, 2014 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
As Arkansas continues its preparations for the Liberty Bowl against Kansas State, three Razorback walk-ons have finally earned their place beside their fellow scholarship teammates, as head coach Bret Bielema announced they would be placed on scholarship during the team's season ending banquet.
Junior punter Toby Baker, sophomore defender Karl Roesler and junior Nicholas Thomas-Smith were the three Razorbacks honored with scholarships. Of the three players, Baker's performance clearly stands out to his head coach.
"He's a potential NFL punter now," Bielema said. "His statistics are truly statistics that win for you. When we were backed up, he changed field position several times. Pooches, he killed it in several situations. Just normal punting scenarios, he did a great job of hang time so they didn't get returns."
Meanwhile Roesler played in every game this season and Thomas-Smith played in four contests. A junior, Thomas-Smith is set to graduate and may not return to the team in 2016.
"I came to him and said, 'Hey, you might be able to play some on special teams for us next year. Would you think about coming around?'" Bielema said. "Don't know if we'll get him back, but we'll play for him next semester."
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