HawgSports has learned Arkansas sophomore wide receiver Jarrod Barnes has asked for his release and is leaving the football program.

Barnes, 5-11, 183, was recruited to Arkansas out of Cabot (Ark.) High School as part of the 2017 recruiting class. The 247Sports Composite ranked him the No. 4 prospect in Arkansas and the No. 666 overall recruit in the nation. He played in just one game as a true freshman, seeing 6 snaps and catching 2 passes for 30 yards in the season-opener against Florida A&M. Barnes was not injured during or after the game but did not play the rest of the season, thus burning his redshirt over just six snaps.

In the preseason, Barnes told members of the media that the staff's plan was to redshirt him this season. He is the only healthy non-freshman scholarship player who has not seen a snap this season in a game. With Wednesday's announcement that junior cornerback Nate Dalton would no longer be with the team, that brings Arkansas' total scholarship numbers down to 79 or 80 depending on the status of sophomore cornerback Chevin Calloway, who stepped away from football due to personal issues. It is unclear as to whether or not that is a permanent move or temporary.

Unfortunately for Barnes, he missed the new NCAA rule that allows players to play in four games or fewer and still maintain their redshirt by just one year. That rule started just this season. However, he is in time to take advantage of the NCAA's new transfer rule, which requires football programs to enter a player's name into the transfer portal within five business days of being notified of the intent to transfer. This essentially makes the player a free agent, and they can be contacted by any school under the NCAA's watch. In the past, the coach was allowed to block transfers to schools of their choice by not granting the player a release. In a situation like that, the player would have to pay their own way for a year. Barnes was not seen at Arkansas' practice the past two days.

As a senior quarterback, who was listed as an 'athlete' by 247Sports, Barnes rushed 126 times up 867 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns for the Panthers. He also completed 39 of 49 passes for 689 yards and 4 more touchdowns with 2 interceptions. Barnes returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown on defense.

Arkansas' attrition this season started with junior offensive lineman Jalen Merrick going on medical hardship. He was later followed on the same path by sophomore offensive lineman Dylan Hays. Senior receiver Jonathan Nance announced his intention to transfer and was followed by sophomore linebacker Kyrei Fisher. Calloway then announced he was stepping away from football. Then the Dalton news came Wednesday with this news on Barnes today. The only player that is transferring who saw significant action was Nance, who will be a senior again elsewhere after starting four games at Arkansas.