FAYETTEVILLE -- Barring a surprise when the Arkansas football team's official depth chart is released, Kobe Branham will be the starting right guard for the Razorbacks in 2025.
Branham and redshirt senior Keyshawn Blackstock duked it out in camp, but the latter has since been moved to defensive tackle amid depth concerns. Redshirt junior E'Marion Harris and redshirt freshman Shaq McRoy have battled for the right tackle spot.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino said he was unsure if the outside spot would be settled before the season opener at 3:15 p.m. Saturday at home against Alabama A&M. Harris has the experience and can play multiple positions, Petrino added, while McRoy must better cope with the heat and longer, grueling practices in August.
Looking at it from that lens makes Branham's ascendancy more notable, in that he was able to push the veteran Blackstock from his line. Blackstock, a second-year transfer from Michigan State, started six games at right tackle and another three at left guard last season with the Hogs.
Branham, an in-state product out of Fort Smith Southside, made one start in 2024 as a true freshman -- the Liberty Bowl. He's in the same redshirt freshman class as McRoy. An unforgotten aspect is Coach Sam Pittman wanting an older lineman to make the switch to the opposing trench.
But it's not as if Branham was solely promoted on the basis of plugging of gaps elsewhere. Pittman, who coached the position at Arkansas and Georgia from 2013-19, said he liked Branham's chances as early as mid-July during SEC media days in Atlanta. As early as practice No. 3 of camp, Branham began taking snaps with the top unit in the 11-on-11 fastball starts.
"The old adage of like, 'play the old guys' -- you want to play the best guys," Arkansas offensive line coach Eric Mateos said Aug. 7. "I'd like him to get a lot stronger than what he is, but just from the size of him, he can handle it.
"Where he's been able to impress me is he knows the offense. We have over 70 different plays as an O-line that we've got to know that are unique. Some of them are plays off each other or tags off each other, but we got to know a lot of stuff in this offense and he handles it great. So I think that's what allows him to put himself in position to play as a young player."
Branham underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle in March, which held him out for the bulk of spring practices. But the redshirt freshman stayed consistently engaged in meetings, Mateos said, and dispelled his concerns that he would be out of shape when he returned. About five weeks before the start of fall camp, the lineman committed to running and maintaining his conditioning.
Branham was listed at 6-5 and 331 pounds on last year's roster; his weight has minimally dropped to 329 pounds for this year. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Cam Ball has been impressed with the Branham's strength.
"He probably added like an extra pancake to his breakfast or something," Ball said Aug. 14. "Going against Kobe, if you don't use your hands, man, it's like running into a brick wall. But Kobe has come a long way. You can tell he's matured real quick, off the field and on the field. Going up against him feels like I'm going against an SEC guard."
Branham always saw himself as an SEC guard residing in Fayetteville.
"This is the place I love," Branham said on "Sam Pittman Live!" this past Wednesday. "I had no other expectations of going anywhere else but Arkansas. I mean, I got pictures from when I was 5 years old, wearing an Arkansas jersey and coming to Arkansas games."
Branham played his high school career, during which he became a consensus 3-star prospect in the 2024 class, just 60 miles outside of Fayetteville. Should his name appear at the top right guard spot, he will have fulfilled that long-term goal.
The singular start in the Liberty Bowl bolstered his confidence, Branham said, and is helpful to think back on as the launching point into a more impactful role.
He would be the youngest starter on Arkansas' offensive line by far next to redshirt seniors Corey Robinson II and Fernando Carmona along with redshirt juniors Caden Kitler and Harris -- assuming the latter starts.
Branham would also be one of the few homegrown starting linemen in these past two years Arkansas developed in the accessible transfer portal era.
"I love Kobe Branham, I just love him," Pittman said. "He's a guy that's going to have a long career here for us."
Plus, coaches have raved about the true freshman trio of Blake Cherry, LJ Prudhomme and Kash Courtney waiting in the wings behind the starting veterans.
"It's been great," Harris said of working with Branham. "Even when I mess up, I know Kobe's got my back right behind me."
It sounds like they'll do that again this Saturday.
"Just getting in our game mindset," Branham said Wednesday. "Because we know we can do it, like Devin (Bale) said, we've done it a million times. Go out there and do what we're taught and perform for the state of Arkansas."