Top 30 quarterbacks in Arkansas high school football

Some of the top QBs in Arkansas high school football this season

Rivercrest's Cavonta Washington / Photo by Tommy Land

High school football season is upon us once again.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Arkansas high school football.

We start today with the quarterbacks.

There are plenty of standout football players in Arkansas, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive. Tag us on X or Instagram at @SBLiveAR to discuss the other quarterbacks worthy of fans’ attention in 2024. You can also submit player nominations to nate@scorebooklive.com.

(Note: These lists were compiled prior to the first week of the 2024 season)

Malvern's Sedrick "Bishop" Allen / Photo by Jimmy Jones

Sedrick “Bishop” Allen, JR, Malvern

The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder passed for more than 1,800 yards and 17 TDs with 7 interceptions last fall. The move-in passed for 264 yads and two TDs in his varsity debut, a loss against Walnut Grove, Texas.

Darrell “Juney” Atkins, SR, Camden Fairview

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior passed for 2,598 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024 and ran for 460 yards and 5 TDs.

Kane Archer, JR, Greenwood

Archer, a 6-1, 205-pounder, led the Bulldogs to an undefeated Class 6A state championship as a sophomore with 2,399 passing yards with 33 TDs and 3 interceptions. He ran for 659 yards and 16 TDs. The 247 Sports four-star composite-rated recruit has a plethora of offers from Power 4 programs including Arkansas, Florida State, Michigan, Ole Miss, Tennessee and many more.  

Colt Barrett, JR, Poyen

At 6-foot-6, he’s most likely the state’s tallest QB now that Fort Smith Northside’s McClane Moody, who is also 6-6, gave up football to concentrate on baseball. Barrett, the son of Poyen head coach Vic Barrett, passed for 1,630 yards and 13 TDs last fall as he earned all-conference honors.

Andrew Bjork, JR, Maumelle

The 6-0, 210 junior broke out as a sophomore with 2,146 passing yards and 23 TDs with 17 interceptions and ran for 435 yards and 3 TDs. He torched Vilonia for 267 yards passing and 3 TDs in one of his better games of the season last fall.

Tyson Bradden, SR, Joe T. Robinson

The North Little Rock all-conference transfer passed for more than 2,000 yards for the Charging Wildcats last fall. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder also tossed 21 TDs.

Karson Chambers, JR, Nashville

The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder passed for 1,287 yards with 14 TDs and ran for 620 yards and 5 TDs.

Shiloh Christian's Cole Creighton / Photo by Tommy Land

Cole Creighton, SO, Shiloh Christian

The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder endured an injury-plagued freshman season throwing 14 TDs with 5 interceptions. The Saints are hopeful Creighton, a college prospect, will break out this fall with a healthy season.

Brady Dillon, SR, Sheridan

The 5-foot-10, 205-pounder passed for nearly 1,800 yards and 18 TDs a year ago. He passed for nearly 500 yards and 4 TDs in a 49-40 loss to Searcy. His stats could skyrocket this season playing in first-year Sheridan head coach Kevin Kelley’s wide-open offense.

Brandon Cobb, SR, Pulaski Academy

Cobb, who is 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, passed for 4,300 yards and 39 TDs. He also ran for 557 yards and 5 TDs.

Cole Crawford, JR, Atkins

The 5-foot-11, 205-pounder passed for 1,230 yards and 14 TDs last fall. He also ran for 156 yards and 4 TDs.

Drew Davis, JR, Benton

Davis burst on the scene last year after beating out a senior for the starting spot and became the starter as the conference season began. The 6-2, 192-pounder, who grew three inches and gained 20 pounds in the offseason, passed for 3,135 yards and a single-season program record of 42 TDs with just 2 interceptions. He also ran for 3 TDs. Davis has college offers from Marshall and North Alabama.

Jontavious Johnson, SR, Blytheville

The dual-threat QB passed for 1,030 yards and 10 TDs. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder ran for 525 yards and 6 scores in 2023.

Ben Keithley, SR Bismarck

The son of Bismarck head coach D.J. Keithley, the 5-foot-9, 160-pound all-stater passed for 1,956 yards and 23 TDs last fall. He also rushed for 940 yards and 15 TDs.

Jackson England, SR, Little Rock Catholic

England, who is 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, passed for 2,276 yards and 23 TDs in 2023. He also ran for 515 yards and 14 scores earning 6A-East All-Conference honors.

Maddox Hampton, SR, Nettleton

The all-stater, who has started since his sophomore year, is also a baseball star for the Raiders and has received scholarship offers from Arkansas State and Central Arkansas. The 6-foot, 180-pounder, whose dad Steven Hampton is the Nettleton head coach, passed for 1,707 yards and 18 TDs with 6 interceptions. He added six yards per carry on the ground.

Ayden Lester, JR, Farmington

Lester, who is 5-10, 150 pounds, passed for 1,300 yards and 14 TDs and rushed for 300 yards and 2 scores with more than handful of starts in 2023.

Owen Miller, SR, Harding Academy

The two-time all-stater and University of Central Arkansas commit sparkled last season leading the Wildcats to the Class 4A state title. Miller, a 6-2, 180-pounder, passed for 3,841 yards and 49 TDs with just 1 interception. He rushed for 815 yards and 12 scores.

Quentin Murphy, SR, LR Parkview

The University of Arkansas commit transferred from Joe T. Robinson where he was a two-year starter. The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder, who will play receiver or defensive back for the Hogs, passed for nearly 900 yards and 13 TDs with 6 interceptions for the Senators last year. He also ran for 697 yards and 6 TDs.

Asa Myers, JR, Jonesboro

The junior baseball player passed for 895 yards and 9 TDs last fall. Myers, a 6-2, 215-pounder, threw for three touchdowns twice last fall.

Garyt Odom, SR, Fayetteville

The son of former Arkansas defensive coordinator and UNLV head coach, Barry Odom, led Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas) to a Class 5A runner-up finish in the Nevada state playoffs last fall. The 6-1, 180-pounder totaled more than 1,100 yards of offense and 16 TDs while missing the final two games with an injury. He is committed to playing for his dad at UNLV.

Elijah Perry,  SO, Bauxite

The son of Miners head coach Caleb Perry, a former University of Arkansas offensive lineman, passed for more than 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall. The 5-11, 185-pounder also ran for 300 yards and 5 scores.

Mitchell Polk, JR, Smackover

The El Dorado transfer saw snaps as a freshman for the Wildcats and started all last fall. The 6-3, 180-pounder passed for more than 1,600 yards and 18 TDs while rushing for more than 200 yards and 5 TDs.

Jeryn Thomas, SR, Conway Christian

The 6-3, 185-pounder was lost for the season after the sixth game last year. Thomas, who started as a sophomore, passed for 703 yards and 10 TDs in 2023. He also ran for 309 yards and 4 TDs.

Jace Washburn, SR, Booneville

The 6-1, 165-pounder engineered a state title for the Bearcats last season. He totaled more than 1,000 yards of offense in Booneville’s Flexbone formation. Without star running back Dax Goff, who signed with Harding University, look for Washburn to handle the ball much more hurt defenses with his arm and legs.

Koby Wilbanks, SR, Ozark

The former receiver shown bright at QB for the Hillbillies last fall. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder ran for nearly 2,000 yards and 27 TDs last fall and added 1,232 yards passing. The star basketball player eclipsed the 250-yard mark passing twice last season.

Talan Williams, JR, Gentry

The Shiloh Christian transfer burst on the scene last fall starting eight games for the Pioneers. He managed to total 2,188 yards and 17 TDs with 12 interceptions. The 5-foot-9, 170-pounder passed a whopping 403 yards and 4 scores in a 47-8 win against Huntsville.

Bryant's Jordan Walker / Photo by Tommy Land

Jordan Walker, SR, Bryant

The recent OBU commit begins his third year under center and hopes to guide the Hornets back to the state title game where his sophomore season ended. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder passed for 2,583 yards and 33 TDs last fall. He also ran for 417 yards and 4 scores. His best game last fall was in the big 52-33 win over Conway, which clinched the Hornets’ fifth straight league title. Walker passed for 365 yards and 4 TDs and added 54 rushing yards and a score.

Cavonta Washington, SR, Rivercrest

The three-year starter passed for more than 2,000 yards with 24 TDs and ran for 359 yards and 4 TDs. Washington is hoping to help get the Colts a 3A state title. His club lost to Harding Academy in the Class 4A finals in 2023.

Grayson Wilson, SR, Conway

The Arkansas commit made headlines when he transferred to the Wampus Cats program from CAC in May. He immediately raised their stock in many pundits’ minds as head coach Buck James was searching for a QB to step up with the departure of three-year starter Donovyn Omolo, who signed with Central Missouri. Wilson, a 6-3, 205-pounder, passed for 3,413 yards and 41 TDs and ran for 837 yards and 15 TDs.

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