How old is too old? This Arkansas Razorbacks’ WR is a rare case. At 30 years old, he’s the only player of his age at the FBS level. So, most didn’t expect much from him. But that might be about to change. Because when the lights come on, his natural athleticism speaks for itself.
He is called “Unc” by his teammates. Monte Harrison took to OC Bobby Petrino’s offense like it was second nature. Comfort, skill, and raw talent. Everything was on display. Right now, at 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, the former 4-star WR from the 2014 class is in peak shape entering his sophomore year. Following that, he’s not afraid to mix it up in the open field. So, is Arkansas seeing something new here?
On August 17, allHOGs reported that teammates are already noticing the “senior citizen” of the WR’s room. Monte Harrison flashed his athleticism again in Saturday’s scrimmage, turning heads with big-play moments. “We saw some things that we’ve seen in the past, about the throw and the catch of Monte Harrison showing up on a Saturday scrimmage,” said Sam Pittman after fall camp. “He shows up every day, but he seems to make big plays in scrimmages which is really good to see.” And there lies the reason for Harrison’s magic.
What @RazorbackFB coaches, players seeing in the senior citizen in wide receivers’ room.@ArkRazorbacks @SInow @SEC @SECNetwork #wps #Arkansashttps://t.co/6E1WZ7uEgb
— allHOGS (@hogsonsi) August 17, 2025
Here, Razorbacks left guard Fernando Carmona still shakes his head at Harrison’s journey. “[Harrison’s age] doesn’t feel real sometimes,” said Carmona after Saturday’s scrimmage. “You see him out there, he’s an old head. Just the way he carries himself, he’s kind of an older guy. But he goes out there and he balls.” Honestly, at 30, that’s unheard of in college football. An age that feels ancient for the game. Yet here he is, outplaying 21-year-olds in their prime during scrimmage.
Given that, Carmona can hardly believe what he’s seeing. “You kind of do got to pinch yourself, like, ‘Wow, this dude’s 30 moving around like this, feeling amazing, making great plays against prime 21-22 year old’s. And so it’s all credit to what he does for himself off the field and how he trains. Because, I mean, to be playing ball like he is at 30, it’s not easy,’” said the Arkansas OL. So, Harrison’s body tells a different story than most student-athletes. It’s older, but it’s stronger. Although years of baseball shaped his frame, football demands more. The daily grind is tougher. On top of that, the hits are harder. And yet, he’s adjusting fast. Now, with his muscular frame, is Monte Harrison tough to slow down?
Yes, he can step in for Charlotte transfer O’Mega Blake and still be a nightmare to tackle. Interestingly, Razorbacks safety Caleb Wooden has seen it up close. “[Harrison’s] a big body SEC receiver,” mentioned Wooden on Wednesday. “He goes up and gets the jump balls, and catch balls over the middle of the field, and then gets yards after catch. When it’s time to get him on the ground, he’s 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. That big SEC presence that he brings.” So, is Harrison heavier than what Arkansas really needs at wide receiver?
Should Monte Harrison slim down, or stay as he is?
Arkansas OC Petrino admitted this summer he was curious to see what kind of receiver Harrison could be if he dropped some weight and trimmed the bulk. So, the goal? More speed. But slimming down isn’t easy at 30. Like most adults, the body fights back. Still, Harrison hasn’t lost his edge. Honestly, the modern game leans toward speed and shiftiness, but Arkansas may have discovered a true unicorn. Built for the grind of SEC defenses. Following that, Petrino stated, “He couldn’t drop any weight, and it wasn’t percent of body fat either. He’s just a big man. Solid and big man, so that idea, hey, let’s thin him up and get him faster, that was a stupid idea by me. It wasn’t working.” Harrison keeps proving he belongs.
In fall camp, coaches have praised his ability to make the highlight plays: one-handed grabs, contested catches, and long TDs. So, for a guy once patrolling centerfield in baseball, tracking a small white dot in the sky, he now looks right at home chasing down flag routes and post patterns in Razorback Stadium. Here, Petrino doesn’t hide his excitement when talking about Harrison. “Monte’s a different guy,” he said. “When you look at his height, weight, speed, vertical jump, speed, all these things are off the charts for a receiver. And you’re over there thinking, ‘We’ve got to get this guy the ball.’” But how much of this is Harrison’s own doing?
The Razorbacks made a clear effort to get Harrison more involved, and he delivered. He led the scrimmage in receiving yards, flashing his ability with two strong grabs and impressive runs after the catch. Honestly, it was the kind of performance that showed just how valuable he can be in this offense. Now, let’s see how this team performs with a 30-year-old leading the way this season.
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