Arkansas RB Rejects NIL Money After Hitting Transfer Portal Twice [Video]

The month of December has been rather unusual for Arkansas running back Braylen Russell. He entered the transfer portal two different times in a span of 11 days and changed his mind both times.

It was a rather eventful saga that epitomizes the modern era of college football.

Russell was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2024. Arkansas received his commitment over schools like Ole miss, Kansas State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arizona and South Carolina. It was a huge win for head coach Sam Pittman to keep the Fayetteville-native in his home town.

The Razorbacks pulled off the exact same recruiting victory with the exact same player less than one full year later. They managed to keep Russell from leaving in the transfer portal — twice.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 253 pounds, Russell ran for 304 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries as a freshman. His 16 carries for 175 yards against Mississippi State was a small …