The primary domino within the 2025 recruiting cycle fell on Friday when five-star level guard Darius Acuff Jr. introduced his dedication to Arkansas throughout a ceremony broadcast on the 247Sports YouTube channel. Acuff selected John Calipari and the Razorbacks over fellow finalists Kansas and Michigan.
A product of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, Acuff ranks because the No. 4 general participant and the top-ranked level guard within the 2025 cycle, per 247Sports. His dedication to Arkansas marks a monumental recruiting win for this system; he’s the second highest-ranked participant to decide to Arkansas within the 247Sports period behind Nick Smith Jr. — the No. 1 general participant from the 2022 recruiting class.
Acuff’s pledge marks Calipari’s first highschool dedication at his new stomping grounds that wasn’t beforehand dedicated to Kentucky. Arkansas signed four-stars Boogie Fland, Karter Knox and Billy Richmond — all of whom had been beforehand dedicated to Kentucky earlier than Calipari took the vacant job in Fayetteville — to complete with the third-ranked recruiting class within the 2024 cycle behind Duke and Rutgers.
Acuff took an official go to to Kentucky final October when Calipari was nonetheless working the ship in Lexington and took official visits to all three finalists this previous spring earlier than making a last resolution.
Calipari, Invoice Self and Dusty Might — the coaches of the three finalists — obtained one last have a look at Acuff through the Nike Peach Jam earlier this month in Augusta, Georgia. Arkansas emerged as the favourite within the days main as much as his dedication, receiving two crystal balls for Acuff 24 hours earlier than the announcement official.