With the 2025 football season rapidly approaching, The Sporting News is taking a look at the top returning players by region and position.
This list focuses on several of the top quarterbacks to watch in the state of Arkansas. This list includes a two-time state champion QB who already has committed to play for a Power Four program, three other signal-callers who are seeking state title repeats and a newcomer who already made his impact in another state.
Sedrick “Bishop” Allen, Hot Springs, Sr.
Allen arrives at Hot Springs after spending the past two seasons as the starting QB at nearby Malvern. Last season at Malvern, he threw for 1,900 yards and 17 TDs while completing 66% of his passes. Allen could very well be a difference maker this season for the Trojans, who missed a playoff berth last season and looking to contend in a rugged 5A-South conference.
Kane Archer, Greenwood, Sr. (UCF commit)
One of the more ballyhooed quarterbacks before even taking a varsity snap, Archer has more than lived up to the hype. He has thrown for nearly 7,000 yards in his career and has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back Class 6A state titles. As a junior, Archer threw for 3,880 yards and 57 TDs, both career highs. Now, before he gets set to go play at UCF, Archer wants to finish his career with the Bulldogs by earning another title.
Colt Barrett, Poyen, Sr. (Arkansas-Monticello commit)
The son of Poyen head coach Vick Barnett, Colt enters his third season as the Indians’ starting signal-caller. Last season, he received All-State recognition after throwing for nearly 1,700 yards and 21 TDs. Barnett – who recently committed to play at Arkansas-Monticello – was also an All-State selection in basketball and made All-District in baseball.
Tyler Bell, Osceola, Sr.
Bell returns to the Seminoles after a junior season in which he completed 99-of-166 passes for 1,364 yards and 14 TDs while adding 355 yards and six TDs rushing. He even caught a pair of TD passes for a team that won the 3-3A title and reached the 3A quarterfinals. In addition, Bell plays basketball and had a team-high 17 points when Osceola won the 3A state title this past March.
Maddox Berry, Morrilton, Sr.
Berry is one of the top returning quarterbacks in the state in terms of yardage. Last season, he threw for 4,233 yards and 57 TDs for the Devil Dogs, who went 9-3 and reached the second round of the 5A playoffs. In a game against conference rival Farmington, Berry threw for 746 yards and 11 TDs – a state record. However, that still wasn’t quite enough as the Devil Dogs were edged, 78-75. In case anyone is wondering, the rematch this season will be Oct. 24 at Farmington.
Emmanuel Bunting, LR Parkview, Sr.
Although he didn’t begin the 2024 season as the Patriots’ starting QB, Bunting finished it in that role, and led Parkview to its third straight Class 5A state title. He completed 100-of-142 passes for 1,470 yards and 22 TDs. Bunting is now determined to build off of that and help Parkview put together another successful title run.
Drew Davis, Benton, Sr.
Davis has made All-State twice in his career with the Panthers, including his junior season, in which he threw for 2,735 yards and 36 TDs. He already owns the school record for career TD passes with 78 and needs 2,000 more yards to become the Panthers’ all-time leading passer. Davis, who helped lead Benton to a 10-2 record last season, gets a huge challenge right out of the gate on Aug. 29, when the Panthers host archival Bryant in the annual “Salt Bowl” game.
Andreal Ellison, Fordyce, So.
Ellison made an instant impact as a freshman, passing for nearly 2,000 yards (1,971 to be exact) and 24 TDs. His play was instrumental in the Redbugs eventually reaching the Class 3A semifinals, though Ellison missed that game after suffering an injury during a second-round playoff win.
Blake Forsgren, Fort Smith Southside, Sr.
The Mavericks just missed a playoff berth last season, but could break through into the postseason this season due to their returning quarterback. A season ago, Forsgren threw for 1,905 yards and 23 TDs while adding a pair of rushing TDs. He had 10 combined TD passes in early-season wins against Little Rock Central and Little Rock Southwest which gave Southside a 3-0 start to the season.
Hank Hendrix, Fayetteville, Jr.
Hendrix is one of the more intriguing newcomers to Arkansas high school football this season, after having transferred from Boerne, Texas. Last season at Boerne, Hendrix passed for 4,200 yards and 52 TDs. In addition, Hendrix is one of the top Class of ’27 quarterbacks in the nation, already receiving offers from various Division I schools including Arkansas, Michigan, Ole Miss and Virginia Tech.
Kemp Keller, Little Rock Christian, Sr. (Henderson State commit)
Keller earned All-State honors as a junior after throwing for 2,582 yards and 27 TDs. He completed 58% of his passes as well (225-of-385). Keller recently committed to play at Division II school Henderson State in Arkadelphia.
Ayden Lester, Farmington, Sr.
Lester is coming off a stellar junior season in which he threw for 3,097 yards and 32 TDs, not to mention adding 1,007 yards and 12 TDs running with the ball. He had six total TDs in a regular-season win against 6A Springdale Har-Ber and passed for 422 yards and five TDs in a playoff win against Hot Springs Lakeside, which put the Cardinals into the Class 5A championship game.
Carter Little, Charleston, Sr.
Expectations are high for Charleston this season, as the Tigers return nine on offense. Perhaps the biggest return on that side of the ball will be their senior All-State signal-caller. Last season, Little completed 238-of-365 passes for 3,395 yards and 42 TDs while being intercepted just five times. He added seven rushing TDs for the Tigers.
Bryston McCoy, Arkadelphia, Jr.
McCoy is coming off a sophomore season to remember, as he threw for 3,122 yards and 46 TDs while helping lead the Badgers to the Class 4A state championship. He also completed 66% of his throwing attempts, going a perfect 7-of-7 with four TDs in a win against Fountain Lake. McCoy also threw a combined seven TD passes in the Badgers’ semifinal and title-game wins.
Dax McMellon, Sheridan, Sr.
Playing for a pass-oriented coach in Kevin Kelley has certainly worked wonders for McMellon. In 2024, he completed 273-of-454 attempts for 3,635 yards and 35 TDs. In back-to-back weeks in early November, McMellon threw for exactly 464 yards in both games along with a combined nine TD passes.
Elijah Moody, LR Mills, So.
Moody certainly didn’t play like your typical freshman in 2024. He accounted for nearly 4,000 total yards and 44 total TDs and proved his worth both running and throwing with the ball. Moody passed for 2,103 yards and 20 TDs while adding 1,873 yards and 24 TDs as the Comets reached the 4A semifinals. They could very well make it to Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium if Moody posts similar numbers – or better – as a sophomore.
Jordon Moore-Payne, Quitman, Sr.
Moore-Payne enters his third season to start and is coming off an All-State campaign as a junior. That’s when he threw for 2,530 yards and 25 TDs, completing 194-of-302 attempts, while running for 856 yards and adding 17 TDs. His objective now is to get the Bulldogs a winning record after they finished below .500 in ’24.
Ben Napier, Elkins, Sr.
A year ago at this time, Napier wasn’t projected to be the Elks’ QB1. But a preseason injury to the starter forced Napier to move up, and he immediately took advantage of the opportunity. He completed 65% of his passes (177-of-271) for 2,169 yards and 28 TDs with another four TDs rushing. Napier’s play helped Elkins win a school-record 14 games, capped by the Elks playing in their first ever title game.
Jeff Regan, Rogers, Sr.
Regan is a two-time All-State selection, although he got his first All-State honor his sophomore year as a receiver. But he made a seamless transition to quarterback as a junior and finished with 2,312 yards on 66% of his completions (148-of-225), along with 27 TDs. But his rushing numbers were just as extraordinary, getting 1,689 yards on 164 carries and scoring a whopping 28 times. Definitely a player that could make the Mounties a legitimate contender for the Class 7A championship.
Luke Reynolds, Newport, Sr.
Reynolds is one of the top dual-threat QB’s in Class 3A, and is coming off a junior season in which he accounted for 41 TDs, a school record. He passed for 1,544 yards and rushed for nearly 700 more for the Greyhounds, who finished 9-3 and reached the second round of the 3A playoffs.
Jackson Taylor, Salem, Sr.
A season ago, the Greyhounds won the Class 3A championship, the first one in program history, and Taylor played a pivotal role. He started all 15 games in the championship run, throwing for more than 1,200 yards and 13 TDs along with rushing of more than 900 yards and 18 TDs. In Salem’s title-game win, Taylor connected on all five of his pass attempts for 129 yards and a TD, adding two TDs rushing on 69 yards. He’s back for a team that is favored to repeat in 3A, returning many starters on both sides.
Tre’ Thompson, Bentonville West, Sr.
Thompson had a breakthrough junior season, throwing for 3,134 yards on 249-of-413 attempts. He also had 29 TDs, six of those coming in a win against Fort Smith Northside in which Thompson set a single-game school-record with 426 yards. Thompson added 12 rushing TDs, gaining 435 yards. His play helped the Wolverines shake off an 0-6 start to make the 7A playoffs, even getting an opening-round win.
Creed Vega, Dardanelle, Sr. (Air Force commit)
Vega, who committed to Air Force in July, is one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state and showed that a season ago. He passed for 2,398 yards and 28 TDs but also ran for 1,530 yards and 19 TDs on a whopping 185 carries. Vega – the son of coach Phil Vega – did get injured in the Sand Lizards’ 4A quarterfinal loss against Arkadelphia and missed several weeks of basketball season before returning late. A full season from Creed Vega could be vital for a Dardanelle squad that is aiming to play for the 4A title.
Talan Williams, Gentry, Sr.
Although he sat out several games with an ankle injury, Williams was still able to throw for more than 1,500 yards and 15 TDs, good enough to garner All-Conference honors. He also threw for 403 yards and six TDs in the Pioneers’ first-round playoff win at DeWitt. Williams enters his final season at Gentry already owning the career record for passing yards and TDs.
Wally Wolcott, Hot Springs Lakeside, Sr.
Walcott completed 157-of-234 passes as a junior for 2,554 yards and 32 TDs. That was good enough to earn All-State honors. Despite a Class 5A semifinal loss to Farmington, Wolcott still threw for 328 yards and four TDs. He’s back and determined to get the Rams to Little Rock and play for a 5A title.
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