Andreas Paaske leading Razorbacks' tight end room
FAYETTEVILLE — Of the 31 receptions by tight ends in 2024, only three are credited to someone still on the roster, and that’s Andreas Paaske.
A Denmark native who transferred in from Eastern Michigan, Paaske had two touchdown catches — of his three receptions in total — and was primarily used as a blocking tight end.
Now, he’s the lone face of continuity for a tight end room that had two guys leave via the transfer portal.
The Hogs brought in Montana State transfer Rohan Jones and Texas A&M transfer Jaden Platt, along with JUCO tight end Jeremiah Beck Jr., and Paaske was the one welcoming them to Fayetteville.
“He’s meant a lot,” Platt said Saturday. “He’s been a pillar for the room. He’s been a leader. Every time we mess up, he’s always right there. And that’s what we need. That’s what we needed as a group is someone to lead us, and that’s something he’s done.”
Arkansas has some international flavor in its tight end room this season. Paaske is from Denmark, while Jones hails from Montreal, Canada. Tight ends coach Morgan Turner said Paaske was a real help when it came to understanding the visa process for Jones.
“He just took all these new guys under his wing and really helped them,” Turner said. “But going through Visa Issues and all that stuff, like I wouldn’t have a clue how to approach that. But I mean they’ve been through it before. Andreas has been through that. Like, hey, this is who you talk to to get this done. Hey make sure this Visa is signed.”
ALSO READ: Rohan Jones details his journey from Canada to Arkansas
Paaske is a go-cart champion
One of the ways Paaske helped bring the team together off the field was by go-carts, something Turner said he took his teammates to.
Of course, as a football player, Paaske is a competitive guy, so he came out on top.
“Andreas must have went to practice,” Jones said with a smile. “He was, like, drifting at the right time to hit the turn.”
That bonding time off the field is important to build chemistry with teammates, but having Paaske’s experience in a Bobby Petrino offense is also paying dividends.
“He’s been a pillar for the room,” Platt said. “He’s been a leader. Every time we mess up, he’s always right there. And that’s what we need. That’s what we needed as a group is someone to lead us, and that’s something he’s done…I had some struggles with the offense, and he helped me. Now I’m playing confident. Now I’m playing fast, and that’s thanks to him.”
Jones echoed Platt’s comments about how important it is to have someone who has been in Petrino’s offense. He also said he didn’t have as fun of a time at go-carts as others.
“Having a guy that already knew the system we were working in, it was a lot easier for him to guide us and help us in that,” Jones said. “That go-cart activity was not fun. I was puking. I was trying to go a little bit too fast.”
The Razorbacks will head back out for Day 3 of fall camp on Sunday morning. Be sure to stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas football. Subscribe to HawgBeat right now for $1 and also receive a from year of The Athletic for new members.
