Arkansas RB receiving early attention

Michael Dyer is only a junior but the Little Rock (Ark.) Little Rock Christian running back is already a veteran of the recruiting game. Dyer gets so many letters and packages from colleges it's no wonder he's keen enough to know which ones need to be read and which ones can wait.

"They have different envelopes for different stuff," said Dyer, who participated with two sprained ankles at Friday's U.S. Army National Combine. "If they want to send you stats and stuff it comes in a plain envelope but the real ones it will have 'Very Important' on the top or it will have a different kind of logo.

"Letters from the head coach and hand-written ones are pretty important but it doesn't really matter if you're good they're going to talk to you. I'm going to take the process slow. You only do it one time so you might as well do it and enjoy it."

Arkansas, Alabama and Florida are the top three schools for Dyer, who rushed for about 2,000 yards with 21 touchdowns this season. He finished with 2,710 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns along with 22 receptions for 183 yards and three scores in his sophomore year. As a freshman, Dyer totaled 901 yards and seven TDs.

"Dyer is a back that can kill you with his quickness," Rivals.com recruiting analyst Barton Simmons said. "He has great feet that can get him out of trouble and make big plays out of nothing.

"He's creative with the ball in his hands and he is great in space. At the combine, he also looked like one of the thicker, more developed backs in San Antonio so he can take a pounding."

Ten to 15 letters usually arrive at Dyer's house or school each day and he said during busy recruiting times he can get 20-30 pieces of mail. There is even a special box designated at Little Rock Christian for his recruiting letters because there's just no more room for them.

"They got tired of handing them to me," Dyer said.

Arkansas is the in-state school and Dyer said he has been to campus a few times and is developing a strong relationship with coach Bobby Petrino.

"He's a good coach and he's well-rounded," Dyer said. "He's one of those guys that gets everything done and does it the right way so those are the kinds of coaches I like."

Being close to home, the campus atmosphere and an enthusiastic coaching staff is what Dyer said sticks out about Alabama. Dyer is also highly interested in Florida, where he plans to visit this off-season.

"Alabama is like Arkansas with being close to home and I like the atmosphere," he said. "The coaches push you. I like coaches that are determined and scream and yell... Florida is a good school, too. I've been watching them on TV. I'm going down there this summer for some camps."

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