How DT Danny Beale earned rare freshman start for Arkansas football
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FAYETTEVILLE — Danny Beale was the highest-rated recruit from Ryan Silverfield's first high school class with Arkansas football.
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Over the weekend, the Vanndale native became the first member of that recruiting class to earn a start.
Beale lined up with the first-team defense in the Razorbacks' (3-6, 1-5 SEC) 26-23 loss to Auburn (5-4, 3-4) Saturday, Nov. 7. The defensive tackle logged 21 snaps and made one tackle.
"Danny Beale is a guy that came in and just keeps getting better every week," defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said. "I thought he had a great week of practice and he's got tremendous upside. We still kind of get a rotation up front and guys are playing, but I thought he had a great week of practice and had earned an opportunity."
Freshmen playing meaningful snaps at Arkansas has been a rarity in recent seasons. Beale became the third first-year player in the last three years to earn a regular-season start. Center Kash Courtney started against Missouri in 2025, and Braylen Russell got the opening nod at running back vs. Mississippi State in 2024.
Roberts shouted out Beale's practice reps, but the newcomer also had a strong game the week prior against Missouri. He made a career-high three tackles in the loss.
"I think it’s every part of his game as far as identifying runs, eliminating mistakes," Roberts said.
Beale was a consensus four-star prospect coming out of Cross County High School. He didn't commit to Arkansas until the 11th hour of the recruiting cycle when he joined a slew of in-state prospects who committed after Silverfield was hired.
Arkansas has solid depth at defensive tackle, and the Hogs have held up well on the interior throughout the fall. Only two running backs — Tennessee's DeSean Bishop and Missouri's Jamal Roberts — have crossed the 100-yard threshold against Arkansas. The strength of the position makes Beale's start even more notable.
And according to Silverfield, Beale brings something to the defense that can't be replicated.
"We know he's got the size," Silverfield said. "He's a 335-pounder that moves pretty well, pretty loud on his feet for a guy that size. But he's gotten a little bit better every day he's been here."
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: How DT Danny Beale earned rare freshman start for Arkansas football