Rivals 2025 Arkansas high school football Player of the Year honors

The high school football season around the country has wrapped up and with that comes honors for coaches and players from the 2025 season. One state out of the South Central region that has produced some impressive talent and teams is Arkansas high school football.

The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) state finals ended a few weeks ago and we decided to get right to it when it comes to end of the year honors.

We continue into the Natural State for Arkansas high school football as Rivals looked through the season and selected award nominees from this past season. Who were the best players for the 2025 Arkansas high school football season, though?

Rivals give you the Arkansas high school football honorees for the 2025 season.

Player of the Year: Cole Creighton, QB, Shiloh Christian

Everyone may look at the offensive play makers around Shiloh Christian quarterback Cole Creighton and somewhat overlook the junior signal caller, but there’s no way the kind of season he had can be overlooked. Creighton went head-to-head with UCF signee Kane Archer and won in the Class 6A state championship game, 70-50, in an absolute offensive banger. For the season, Creighton meant that much more to his team with the kind of numbers he steadily put up. The junior signal caller completed 233 of 335 passes for 4,017 yards and 44 touchdowns through the air. On the ground, Creighton rushed for 260 yards and added three mores scores.

Offensive Player of the Year: Nikel Lewis, RB, Hamburg

When you look at the kind of production Hamburg running back Nikel Lewis had out of the backfield for Hamburg, this seemed like a no brainer to select the Austin Peay signee. Looking at Lewis’ body of work for the entire season, no tailback was more productive by himself than the Hamburg senior as he proved on a weekly basis he was the player to watch out for. Lewis this past season carried the rock 262 times for 2,766 yards and scored 53 touchdowns on the ground while adding another score and 71 yards receiving. The senior’s best game was in a 67-53 win over Warren where Lewis carried the ball 42 times, rushing for 398 yards and scored six touchdowns.

Defensive Player of the Year: Keagan Sanderson, DL, Salem

Salem senior defensive lineman Keagan Sanderson might not be the most imposing figure to opposing offensive linemen at 5-foot-10, 215 pounds but he finds his way into opponent’s backfields. Sanderson was a key cog in the Greyhounds run to the Class 3A state semifinals this past season as the defense through 14 games allowed just 164 points. The defensive lineman himself was crucial throughout the campaign in the front seven as Sanderson totaled 71 tackles, 37 of those going for a loss, 14.5 sacks and forcing three fumbles.

Coach of the Year: Quad Sanders, Bryant

Seems like an easy lean in to name the head coach of the top team in the state, but going year in and year out trying to live up to those very expectations is tackling a whole other monster in itself. Bryant head coach Quad Sanders has done that at Bryant High School and did it again when he led the Hornets to a perfect 13-0 record in Arkansas’ Class 7A classification, capping it with a dominating 27-7 victory over Bentonville for the state title. Sanders took the head job in 2023 and has won two straight state championships to date and will be gunning for the rare 3-peat come 2026.

How to Follow Arkansas High School Football

For Arkansas high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Natural State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Arkansas high school football excitement across the state.