TOP PLAYERS, key games in Class 7A.
Ledbetter led Bryant’s offense last season as the Hornets won their second consecutive Class 7A state championship.
Ledbetter passed for 3,329 yards with 43 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He threw a school-record six touchdown passes against Conway in the regular-season finale.
With Ledbetter in his first full season as Bryant’s starter, the Hornets averaged 43 points per game in 2019.
Ledbetter leads a group of eight returning offensive starters for Bryant.
Dreyden Norwood, Fort Smith Northside, QB, Sr.
Norwood was one of the state’s most recruited athletes in the Class of 2021. He has orally committed to Texas A&M, so he enters the 2020 season with his college choice behind him.
Last season, Norwood accounted for 1,037 yards and 16 touchdowns. He passed for 546 yards and six touchdowns, and he rushed for 491 yards and 10 scores.
Cole Joyce, Bentonville, LB, Sr.
The best linebacker in Class 7A resides in Northwest Arkansas. Joyce was outstanding for the Tigers’ 7A-West Conference title team last season, recording 104 tackles along with 8 pass breakups and 2 fumble recoveries.
Joyce has orally committed to Central Florida.
Tyler Gee, Cabot, QB, Sr.
Cabot moved away from the Dead-T to the Spread offense in 2019, and Gee took advantage of the switch under Scott Reed.
Gee, a University of Central Arkansas oral commitment, passed for 2,319 yards with 24 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in his first year as the Panthers’ starter.
The Panthers will give himmore freedom to throw the ball this season as they look to get deeper in the Class 7A playoffs.
Jordan Owens, North Little Rock, LB, Sr.
North Little Rock returns one defensive starter, but Owens is a good one. The inside linebacker shined for the Charging Wildcats in 2019 with a team-high 108 tackles as North Little Rock reached its fourth consecutive Class 7A state championship game.