Oklahoma QB signee Jackson Arnold named Gatorade National Player of the Year

Denton (Texas) Guyer Five-Star Plus+ quarterback and Oklahoma signee Jackson Arnold has racked up plenty of awards in his young career. But few are bigger than the one he received on Thursday.

Flanked by former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro tight end Jason Witten, Arnold received the Gatorade National Player of the Year award after his stellar senior season, where he led the Wildcats to a 14-1 record and a berth in the Texas 6A-Division II semifinals.

Arnold beat out individual Gatorade player of the year winners from across the country for the honor, including fellow Five-Star Plus+ quarterbacks Arch Manning and Malachi Nelson, who are signed with Texas and USC, respectively.

In his 15 games this fall, Arnold completed 231 of 336 pass attempts (69 percent) for 3,476 yards and 33 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He also rushed for 921 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

The award also recognizes student-athletes for their off-field work, where Arnold has served as a classroom aide to a math teacher as a senior, and for the past three and a half years, he has been a member and officer in the Texas Young Men’s Service League, Lantana Chapter, which offers opportunities for mothers and sons to perform community service and philanthropic work.

Arnold committed to the Sooners over the summer and signed with them on December 21 before enrolling this month. He is ranked as the No. 8 overall recruit in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Jackson Arnold Scouting Summary

“Tough, live-armed quarterback who quickly rose to be the top 2023 signal caller in Texas in his first year as a starter. Plays for one of the top high school programs in the Dallas Metroplex and led his team to the state title game as a junior. Plays in a spread-iso offensive scheme that heavily utilizes play action downfield passes and power running between the tackles. Shows a strong arm with the ability to generate velocity on intermediate and downfield throws. A light-footed athlete who consistently escapes pressure and makes plays out of the pocket. One of the tougher top quarterbacks in the 2023 cycle, carrying a considerable rushing load. A physical runner who embraces contact. Hit the ground running in his first year as a varsity starter against top competition. Has a smaller frame than some other top quarterbacks in the cycle.”