SS, 6-3, 215

SR-1L

Englewood, N.J.

(Dwight Morrow HS / Alfred St CC)

OUTLOOK: Hewitt arrived on the Arkansas campus as a safety, but was pressed into duty at linebacker last season when Freddie Fairchild suffered a season-ending injury in the Razorbacks’ second game. He was up to the task stepping into the starting role and giving the Hogs a more than adequate substitute. A year later, however, a more seasoned linebacker group coupled with the loss of Randy Kelly resulted in Hewitt heading back to the secondary last spring. He has a knack for making a play on the ball and gives the Razorbacks much needed size in the defensive backfield. He has shown he can compete in the Southeastern Conference and he enters pre-season camp as the Razorbacks’ starter at strong safety.

2006: Hewitt entered the season as a reserve at free safety behind Michael Grant. However, a season-ending injury to linebacker Freddie Fairchild resulted in a change in position for the junior college transfer after only three games. He blossomed almost immediately at linebacker starting his first collegiate game at his new position at Alabama. He went on to start eight of the Razorbacks’ 14 games racking up 63 tackles, including 32 solo and 31 assisted stops. His 63-tackle total tied for seventh among Razorback defenders. He made 58 tackles in 11 games at sam linebacker (eight starts). He had at least six tackles in seven of his eight starts at linebacker. He earned three tackles for loss (-10), four quarterback hurries and one pass break up on the season. – Hewitt played eight snaps at safety in his Arkansas debut against Southern California, recording a solo tackle. Against Utah State, he logged 19 snaps and collected two tackles. Hewitt again logged 19 snaps and made two stops in Arkansas’ win at Vanderbilt. With the Razorbacks thin at linebacker due to the loss of Fairchild, Hewitt made the move to sam linebacker. Hewitt made the first start of his Razorback career against No. 22 Alabama. He made nine tackles, broke up a pass and recorded a quarterback hurry in the standout effort against the Crimson Tide. Hewitt followed that effort with a career-best 10 tackles at No. 2 Auburn in the Hogs’ upset win. He earned three solo and seven assisted stops against the Tigers. Hewitt tied for a game-high six tackles against Southeast Missouri State. He earned four solo stops and a quarterback hurry in the blowout victory. Hewitt notched his second double-digit tackle performance of the season and his second in four games at sam linebacker with 10 stops against Ole Miss. He tallied six solo and four assisted tackles against the Rebels. Hewitt netted the Razorbacks their first safety in four years against Louisiana-Monroe with a tackle for loss in the end zone. He totaled eight tackles and two TFL (-5) against the Warhawks. Hewitt played but did not start against South Carolina. He saw only limited action with the Hogs playing mostly nickel and dime packages with the Gamecocks throwing the ball on almost every down. He notched three solo and three assisted tackles along with a TFL (-5) in a win over No. 13 Tennessee. Hewitt logged five tackles (four assisted) in the first quarter of the Mississippi State game before spraining his knee and missing the remainder of the game. Hewitt was able to start the LSU game after suffering a sprained knee at Mississippi State, but he wasn’t at full speed. His limited mobility held him to just one assisted tackle against the Tigers. Hewitt did not start as the Hogs opened in a dime formation, but he did tally three total tackles, including two solo stops, against Florida in the 2006 SEC Football Championship Game. He saw action against No. 7 Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl. He didn’t earn a tackle, but did register a quarterback hurry against the Badgers.

PRIOR TO ARKANSAS: He was an honorable mention NJCAA All-America selection and a first-team All-Northeastern Conference selection as a sophomore at Alfred State for Coach Mick Caba. He earned defensive player of the week honors twice as a sophomore. He made 87 tackles and one sack as a sophomore in only eight games to lead the Northeast Football Conference with an average of 10.9 stops per game. He also averaged 6.9 yards per punt return. He helped ASCC finish 5-5 in 2005. As a freshman, he led the league with 103 tackles while adding four interceptions and three fumble recoveries. He was also recruited by Purdue, Michigan State and Illinois.

PERSONAL: Born July 24, 1986, he is the son of Horace and Magdalene Hewitt. His brother, Chris, was a two-time All-Conference USA defensive back at the University of Cincinnati and played four years in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints. He now serves as the director of speed and skill development at Rutgers University. Matt is enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and is majoring in sociology. He was named to the Lon Farrell Academic Honor Roll for Fall 2006.