ESPN Article
It seems that every couple of years, college recruiters flock to the state of Arkansas in hopes of landing an elite quarterback.
Kiehl Frazier is hoping to find success at the college level like other Arkansas QB prospects.
In 2006, Mitch Mustain of Springdale High School picked up offers from every major program in the country. Ranked the No. 12 overall player and No. 2 QB prospect in the Class of 2006, Mustain eventually signed with the University of Arkansas. After one season with the Razorbacks, Mustain decided to head west and transfer to USC.
One year later, Ryan Mallett was lighting up scoreboards in Texas. Despite playing in the Lone Star State, Ryan was born and raised in Arkansas. While playing for Texas High (Texarkana, Texas), he actually lived on the Arkansas side of the border. He was a self-proclaimed Arkansas boy.
However, Mallett decided to head north and signed with the Michigan Wolverines. After an up-and-down freshman season that culminated with Rich Rodriguez's hiring to replace Lloyd Carr, Mallett decided to transfer to Arkansas, where he broke 16 school records in 2009 and now looks forward to a Heisman Trophy campaign this fall.
Three years later, it appears that the Natural State once again has a national talent at the quarterback position in Shiloh Christian Academy's Kiehl Frazier. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior is a member of the ESPNU 150 Watch List.
Last season, Frazier led the Saints to a 13-1 season and a state championship. Despite being a small private institution in Springdale, Ark., there is no doubt that Shiloh Christian is one of the state's top programs.
Frazier possesses a unique blend of size, strength, speed and intelligence, Frazier has become one of the hottest names in the Class of 2011. With impressive arm strength and a 4.5 time in the 40-yard dash, there is no wonder that Florida's Urban Meyer, Notre Dame's Brian Kelly and many other major college coaches from around the country have offered scholarships.
"I have 22 offers," Frazier said. "They are coming from everywhere. LSU, Arkansas, Florida, UCLA, Michigan, Nebraska -- there are just too many to try and name.
"I hope that my abilities allow me to play in the NFL within a few years, and I want to be in the system that will best prepare me to reach that goal. I am mostly looking for schools with a pro-style offense or maybe the spread. That is the system we run at Shiloh Christian."
Frazier admits that he has a familiarity with one school in particular, the University of Arkansas.
"I have visited Arkansas about six or seven times," Frazier said. "I am real familiar with everything up there, and I like the school a lot. My parents want me to stay close to home, and I feel at home up there. I have been very impressed by coach Garrick McGee. He is my main recruiter and position coach. With Coach McGee now the offensive coordinator, that's nice because he'll be making more decisions."
Despite the fact that Arkansas is just a few miles away, Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn may have the closest relationship with Frazier at this point. Malzahn was Mustain's head coach at Springdale and the offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Malzahn brought football prominence to Class AAA Shiloh Christian before taking over at Springdale High and eventually moving on to the college ranks.
"I first met Coach Malzahn when we had a team camp at Tulsa," Frazier said. "We've gotten really close. It just seems like he is successful everywhere he goes. Auburn had a good year last year and with the recruiting class they have coming in, they're expecting to do even better this season."
Frazier has also seen the campuses at Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Tennessee.
Frazier may feel the pressure to commit to an in-state school.
"Coach Kyle Williams at Kansas State is a very good coach," Frazier said. "I learned a lot about him while I was up there. Oklahoma State was another fun visit. They showed me how I would fit into their offense, and the atmosphere was great. We watched their game against Georgia and everything was nice."
Frazier visited Tennessee last season while Lane Kiffin was still in charge. Frazier said he still hears from the old Volunteers staff, who have since taken over at USC.
"I talk to Coach Kiffin and coach Ed Orgeron about once a month," Frazier said. "I believe I'll get an offer from the Trojans sometime during the spring."
USC isn't the only offer Frazier is expecting in the next couple of months.
"I am going to take spring visits to Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU and Alabama," Frazier said. "The Tide haven't offered yet, but Coach [Nick] Saban wants to sit down with me while I am there, so I really think that they'll be offering too."
Scholarship offers from BCS programs aren't the only good news Frazier has received recently.
"I have decided that I am going to be playing in the Under Armour All-American Game," Frazier said. "It's a real honor. I've spoke with a few guys that were down there last year and they all really enjoyed it.
"My head coach, Josh Floyd, has also been selected to the game. That's really big for me, since not only is he my quarterbacks coach, but he's a real mentor to me."
Tom Luginbill, director of college football scouting for ESPNU Recruiting, has a high opinion of Frazier's skill set.
"Frazier's combination of arm strength and athleticism is what makes him so dangerous," Luginbill said. "The Under Armour game has had great success with quarterbacks with the likes of Matt Barkley, Landry Jones, Kyle Parker and Garrett Gilbert to name a few. We would like to think Kiehl is capable of continuing that trend."
Frazier hopes to eventually add his name to that list of quarterbacks who are making a splash at the college level. He's already joined Mustain and Mallett as the Natural State's most wanted gunslinger.