15 Arkansas high school football transfers who could make an immediate impact in 2024

A list of players who are looking to help new schools to success this fall

Garyt Odom is hoping to lead Fayetteville to back-to-back 7A state championships. / Photo by Steve Andrews

There is no transfer portal in Arkansas high school football, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty of movement and flair.

Now, like never before, players are transferring, and this offseason included a high volume of players making the jump to power programs. And just like college, players made announcements via social media and in some cases included elaborate graphics.

Below is a list of players set to make a splash this season. Some are looking for a fresh start, some moved in from out of state, but all of them should make an immediate impact on their respective teams.

Hudson Ball I SR I DE I Shiloh Christian

Ball is going back to where his varsity career started. The 6-foot-3, 240-pounder played as a freshman for the Saints before transferring to Oklahoma power Jenks, which is located in the Tulsa area. Ball collected 89 tackles and 14 sacks at Jenks last season. In two seasons there, he amassed 188 tackles. He has offers from a handful of Division I schools including Arkansas State, North Texas and UCF.

His return to Springdale is just in time as the Saints move to Class 6A. Ball will help the defense battle some of the top offenses in the class such as conference foe Greenwood.

Newport's Kiandrea Barker / Photo by Jimmy Jones

Kiandrea Barker I SR I RB I Newport

Barker became highly recruited after a standout sophomore campaign at Beebe. He transferred to The Woodlands (Texas) High School last fall but didn’t play after being ruled ineligible by the University Interscholastic League. The Penn State commit planned to transfer to Miami (Fla.) Central but was worried about eligibility issues, so he returned to Beebe for the spring football but then earlier this summer decided to return to  Newport where he spent most of his growing up years. Barker should make a major impact for the Greyhounds making them a dangerous playoff team in Class 3A. He said he may also help on defense.

Tyson Bradden I SR I QB I Joe T. Robinson

Bradden brings something that was missing to the Senators’ offense last season – a passing game. Former Robinson QB Quentin Murphy, who left the program for Little Rock Parkview, is a run-oriented QB. Bradden was 147-for-266 for 2,267 yards and 25 touchdowns with 8 interceptions on a Charging Wildcats team that struggled in the rugged 7A-Central. One of several NLR players who left in the offseason, Bradden should see his numbers increase playing for a more competitive team with a good supporting cast in Class 5A. Robinson, could make a deep playoff run with a few key additions.

T.J. Brown I JR I RB I Jonesboro

Brown was one of the better sophomore running backs in the state last fall with 1,579 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging more than six yards per carry. He joins two other Nettleton teammates who headed across town in the offseason. He offers a welcome boost to the Hurricanes’ offense. After two seasons of struggling in Class 7A, the Hurricanes are back in 6A with a flux of talent.

Khalil “Champ” Davis I JR I  WR I Greenwood

The Omaha (Nebraska) North transfer gives Greenwood yet another offensive weapon on a squad loaded with talent led by junior four-star quarterback recruit Kane Archer. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder, who saw varsity snaps as a freshman, has a scholarship offer from Nebraska and interest from several other Division I programs.  He brings more speed to the defending champions and will be a threat in the slot and in the return game.

Jacob Henry I JR I DB I Maumelle

The junior was a tackling machine at CAC last fall. He totaled 187 stops and accumulated 800 return yards and five scores. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder will bring some punch to the Hornets' defense which has been infused with other talented transfers.

Kendall Hill I SO I CB I Little Rock Central

Hill isn’t well-known in Arkansas, but if Hill has his way that won’t last long. A native of New Orleans via Compton, Calif., Hill moved to Arkansas in June. He initially announced via social media that he was going to Bryant but landed with the Tigers. He saw varsity action in California last year and is receiving Division I recruiting interest. He is hoping to help revive the historic tradition of perennial power that is currently riding a 31-game losing streak. Hill has hit the ground running and impressed in coverage in Central’s games at the Sonic Air Raid 7-on-7 tournament earlier this month. He will also return kicks and play some receiver for the Tigers.

Parker Meese I SR I LB I Fayetteville

The four-star linebacker started his high school career in Texas before transferring to IMG in Florida. He’s playing his final prep season in Fayetteville to join friend and fellow UNLV commit, Garyt Odom. Odom’s dad, Barry, is the head coach at UNLV. Meese, a Plano, Texas native, had offers from major programs such as Oregon and Auburn but settled on the Runnin’ Rebels. Two years ago at Plano Parish Episcopal High School in Frisco, Texas the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder racked up 70 tackles, including 5.5 for loss.

Will Moore I RB I SR I Conway

The Colorado running back gives the Wampus Cats a much-needed boost in the backfield and will pair with four-star quarterback transfer Grayson Wilson, who played his first two seasons at Central Arkansas Christian. Moore comes to Conway from Colorado Springs Christian High School where he ran for 1,072 yards on 177 carries with 20 touchdowns. Moore, who also played linebacker at Christian, reports he has some Division II recruiting interest.

Quentin Murphy I QB I Little Rock Parkview

The three-star University of Arkansas commit turned heads as a QB at Joe T. Robinson. He joined the two-time defending state champion Patriots in January. Murphy, who is going to the Hogs as an athlete, is a run-first QB that will fit in well with a talented backfield that includes senior Division I target Cam Settles (Making an announcement Aug. 3) and diminutive senior Kansas State running back commitment Monterrio Elston. That “three-headed monster” will be hard to stop and look for the Patriots staff to get creative with different option packages that will befuddle opposing defenses.

Mitchell Polk I JR I El Dorado

In a surprise move, the former Wildcats QB and one of Class 6A’s budding stars, announced in early July he was transferring to nearby Class 3A Smackover. In 2024, the 6-foot-2, 180-pounder was 102-of-201 for 1,547 yards and 16 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

Garyt Odom I SR I QB I  Fayetteville

The son of Barry Odom, the UNLV head coach and former University of Arkansas defensive coordinator, the younger Odom drew attention as a sophomore QB understudy to star Eli Wisdom at Shiloh Christian in Springdale. After the elder Odom accepted the UNLV job, Garyt, a 6-foot-1, 170-pounder, attended high school at Las Vegas Lutheran and committed to his dad last November. The speedy dual-threat passed for 523 yards and 7 touchdowns while rushing for 643 yards and 8 TDs. He led the Crusaders (9-4) to a conference title and three playoff victories. In the offseason, he decided to join family in Northwest Arkansas and play for the defending Class 7A state champion Bulldogs. The timing couldn’t be better for FHS head coach Casey Dick, who was looking to replace Drake Lindsey, a Minnesota signee who was one of the more prolific QBs in school history that doesn’t have the last name Allen.

Josiah Warrior-Benson I JR I WR I Maumelle

Warrior-Benson was one of several Central Arkansas Christian players who bolted after former Mustangs head coach Ryan Howard resigned abruptly over the winter. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder had a breakout season in 2023 catching passes from four-star Arkansas QB commit Grayson Wilson. Warrior-Benson had 50 catches for 977 yards and 15 TDs and will be a reliable target for Hornets junior QB Andrew Bjork.

Kevin “Deuce” Williams JR I RB I Joe. T Robinson

Yet another CAC defection, Williams, the son of former NFL defensive lineman Kevin Williams Sr., was hard to stop last season. Williams’ versatility allows him to line up all over the field, and he has great hands for a running back. Robinson did lose Murphy, but Williams softens that blow as he teams up with North Little Rock senior transfer Tyson Bradden.

Conway quarterback Grayson Wilson / Photo by Tommy Land

Grayson Wilson SR I QB I Conway

The most highly regarded player on the list, Wilson’s presence has some pundits thinking Wampus Cats will now win the Class 7A state title. Wilson, a four-star Arkansas commit, passed for more than 3,400 yards with 41 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and 837 yards rushing last season. Wilson’s arrival erases a big worry for Conway head coach Buck James, who was tasked with replacing three-year starting QB Donovyn Omolo, who signed with the University of Central Missouri.

-- Nate Olson | nate@scorebooklive.com | @ndosports