Another 8-man football season has arrived!
To get things kicked off, The Natural State Sports Network compiled 25 players who proved themselves on the field in 2023 and aim to do even more this fall.
Follow along all season for weekly 8-man reports of the state’s top performers on the website, as well as Facebook and Twitter (X). Also, subscribe to our friends over at the Arkansas 8-Man Football Network on YouTube to watch the Game of the Week.
Here are 25 8-man players to keep an eye on in 2024.
Peyton Cartwright | Corning | DL | 6-0 180 | SR
The all-state selection led the Bobcats with 96 tackles, including 7 for loss and 8 sacks, deflected four passes and forced four fumbles, returning one for a touchdown.
Haydon Cox | Corning | RB/DB | 5-10, 195 | SR
Cox led the Bobcats with 536 rushing yards last fall to go with 9 touchdowns, while also compiling 71 tackles, including 1 for loss and 5 sacks, forced 3 fumbles and batted down 2 passes.
Jakob Cox | Corning | ATH | 5-10, 175 | SR
Certainly a preseason candidate for 8-man Player of the Year, Cox does everything for the Bobcats. Offensively, he compiled over 1,100 yards of offense and six scores, while adding another 215 return yards on special teams. Defensively, Cox logged 74 tackles, batted down 4 passes, recovered a fumble and nabbed a team-high 8 interceptions.
Danquez Crayton | Strong | WR | 6-0, 175 | JR
Another reliable option for the Bulldogs’ host of skill players, Crayton hauled in 18 catches for 412 yards, a solid average of 23 yards per reception, and 6 touchdowns. Crayton also made his mark on defense, highlighted by a 48-yard scoop and score against Spring Hill.
Keithen Dunn | Cedar Ridge | OL/LB | 5-9, 175 | SR
Dunn is also the heartbeat of the offensive line, earning all-conference honors in 2023, but the defense “will revolve around him,” per Coach Scott Morgan as the T-Wolves look to make noise in the North Sanctioned Division.
Jonas Elms | Cedar Ridge | WR/DL | 5-11, 190 | JR
Known as a “do-everything” player, Elms led the T-Wolves in receiving with almost 500 yards last fall on 40 catches. He will also line up at running back and on the defensive line.
Zack Gilmore | Strong | OL/DL | 6-3, 315 | SR
A transfer from Parkers Chapel whom Bulldogs Coach Jason Porter refers to as “a monster,” Gilmore expects to be another key piece to an already loaded squad. Lyon College, along with other Division II in-state programs, have shown interest in Gilmore.
Wesley Horton | Cedar Ridge | TE/OL | 6-1, 210 | JR
Along with being one of 8-man’s top returning tacklers with 54 stops last fall, Horton’s experience up front at both tight end and offensive line will play a major role in the success of the T-Wolves’ offense.
Aiden Jones | Cedar Ridge | QB | 5-10, 185 | SR
Jones, who also excels on the baseball diamond, totaled around 1,000 yards of offense as a junior to go with 17 touchdowns as a junior.
Landon Koch | Subiaco Academy | LB | 5-11, 150 | JR
Koch finished second in both tackles (74) and interceptions (4) for the Trojans last fall, plus forced a fumble, as he expects his role(s) to increase in 2024.
Dalton Lamar | Rector | OL/DL | 5-10, 250 | SR
Arguably the top two-way lineman in all of 8-man football, Lamar is back for his third year after helping pave the way for the Cougars’ first state championship. Along with blocking for an offense that averaged 46 points and nearly 400 rushing yards per game, Lamar logged 66 tackles (a game-high 16 in the state final), including 5.5 sacks, plus recovered two fumbles.
Wyatt Lewis | Midland | OL/DL | 5-10, 170 | JR
Lewis returns as one of 8-man top tacklers after collecting 60 as a sophomore and also anchors the Mustangs’ offensive line.
Nehemiah Lindsey | Brinkley | OL | 6-2, 250 | JR
Lindsey stepped up and started as a sophomore for the Tigers. His leadership role will increase as the lone returner up front who can effectively play all positions, along with Brinkley breaking in a sophomore quarterback, as the squad aims to add to its streak of postseason appearances.
Germyren McHenry | Strong | RB | 5-9, 175 | SR
McHenry led a Bulldogs offense that averaged 29 points per game with 839 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior.
Kaiden McHenry-Jones | Strong | QB/DB | 6-0, 170 | SR
The speedy McHenry, who also excels in track and field, compiled over 1,500 yards of offense a season ago with 27 touchdowns and was tabbed all-state for the second straight season. McHenry is also heavily relied upon in the secondary in certain formations.
Chase Rascoe | Midland | QB | 6-0, 160 | JR
After starting as a sophomore for the Mustangs, Rascoe rushed 110 times for 560 yards, an average of 5.1 yards per carry, and 9 touchdowns.
Anthony Richardson | Dermott | ATH | 5-6, 150 | JR
Richardson’s role will expand in 2024 after a stellar sophomore campaign in which he averaged 90 yards per contest while playing in five games. He also hauled in 6 touchdowns.
Jonathan Sam | Subiaco Academy | OL/DL | 6-3, 210 | SR
Along with starting on the offensive line, Sam will be a key cog for Subi’s defense after collecting 45 tackles, including 9 for loss, with 4 sacks – which tied for the team lead.
Xavier Sain | Augusta | OL/DL | 6-0, 240 | JR
Sain was tabbed all-state honorable mention as a sophomore and will anchor both sides of Augusta’s trenches for a speedy Red Devil squad.
Seth Smith | Corning | QB | 5-11, 175 | SR
Smith is coming off of a junior campaign in which he passed for 1,219 yards and 13 touchdowns while completing 68% of his passes. He also added 279 yards and 5 scores on the ground.
Brayden Thompson | Rector | RB/DE | 5-10, 190 | JR
Thompson played in a crowded backfield as a sophomore, but shined when his number was called averaging 7.1 yards on 39 carries. He was also a suitable reserve on defense, compiling 11 tackles, including 4 sacks, while also recovering 2 fumbles.
Garrett Weatherford | Woodlawn | RB/DB | 5-11, 170 | SR
Weatherford also mans one of the cornerback spots on defense for the Bears, but will be their workhorse out of the backfield after rushing for 600 yards on 36 carries, an eye-popping average of 16.7 yards per carry, along with 6 touchdowns as a junior.
Lukus Whitworth | Corning | DL | 6-1, 225 | SR
Whitworth logged 68 tackles and tied for the team lead with 8 sacks, while also deflecting two passes and recovering a fumble.
Chris Williams | Brinkley | WR/DB | 6-2, 180 | JR
The Tigers’ lone returner at the skill positions, Williams hauled in 40 receptions for 600 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. He also nabbed 3 interceptions on defense.
Ja’Keim Woods | Strong | DL | 6-0, 190 | SR
Woods is the key cog in the machine for a Bulldog defense that allowed the fewest points per game (7.7) on the field in 2023. He logged 65.5 tackles, including 6 sacks, and recovered 4 fumbles.
*All quotes were borrowed from the 8-Man section of the Hooten’s Arkansas Football’s 2024 magazine, written by the same author of this publication.*
(Cover photo via Arkansas PBS)
Kyle Sutherland is a journalist and podcast host (Arkansas Preps Weekly) for The Natural State Sports Network. His written work has been featured in outlets including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Best of Arkansas Sports and Hooten’s Arkansas Football. He is also the color commentator for 103.7 The Buzz’s high school football Game of the Week. Email Kyle at kyle@naturalstatesports.com.