James takes visits to Kansas and Arkansas

Troy James had a good day on Tuesday. He visited Kansas which is a school he labels near the top of his list and also picked up his first SEC after visiting Arkansas.

The Jayhawks offered James in the spring and assistant Tony Hull has been recruiting him consistently.

“We both come from the same place in Louisiana,” James said of Hull. “By being around him he made me feel comfortable and I can see myself wearing the blue and red. Spending time with coach Hull was amazing. Since the day he started recruiting me and then gave me that offer we hit it off and I can see myself at Kansas.”

James, a 6-foot-4, 268 pound defensive lineman visited Arkansas earlier in the day. He said there were a lot of similarities between Lawrence and Fayetteville.

“Getting the Arkansas offer was a big one,” James said. “It was a good experience visiting there and it was also my first SEC offer. It was a shocker to get the offer but I know how much work I have put in. The people at Arkansas are just like they are in Kansas. People came out to me in both places and talk to me like they knew me.

“And I felt the same thing with Arkansas I could see myself and wearing that red and white. It will be a big decision.”

James didn’t arrive in Lawrence until the evening and spent time on campus until the sun went down. After getting a tour he saw the new layout for the dorms and the academic support the football players get.

“What really stood out to me on the Kansas visit was the atmosphere and the people,” James said. “The coaching staff stood out to me and also the academic part of Kansas where the athletes go to get help and tutoring. It was a great day and I loved it up here in Kansas.”

The next month could go a long way in James determining who his leader is.

“I just want to get my mom and dad out here so they can see it,” James said. “They were planning on coming up here in July so we will make that happen. I think they will come up here and see Kansas and Arkansas both.”

James has several division one offers and said he hasn't officially trimmed his of schools into a top five yet.