Top 20 Dallas/Fort Worth (Texas) quarterbacks returning for 2025 football season

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With the 2025 football season rapidly approaching, The Sporting News is taking a look at the top returning players by region and position.
These are the top 20 quarterbacks in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area returning to help lead their teams to glory. The list includes two defending state champions and two state runners-up.

(The list is in alphabetical order)

Gavin Beard, Fort Worth All Saints, Sr.
After leading powerhouse program Aledo to a 12-1 record and a trip to the Class 5A Division I regional finals, Beard transferred to private school stalwart All Saints, which won last year’s TAPPS Division II state title. Beard threw for 2,573 yards and 35 touchdowns for the Bearcats last season. His numbers for the Saints should be off the charts this year.

Bowe Bentley, Celina, Sr. (Oklahoma commit)
One of the top returning gunslingers in Texas, Bentley is fresh off leading a storied Celina program to a 16-0 record and its ninth state title. The future Sooner accounted for more than 4,200 yards and 63 touchdowns to earn the Texas Sports Writers Association’s (TSWA) Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year honors. Bentley is ranked No. 82 overall nationally in the Class of 2026 by 24/7 Sports.

Legend Bey, North Forney, Sr. (Tennessee commit)
With a first name like Legend, you’d better be great. Bey is. Last season, he threw for 1,508 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 1,927 yards and 28 touchdowns to lead the Falcons to an 8-4 record and a playoff win. Bey is the defending District 10-6A Offensive Most Valuable Player.

Daylon Brooks, South Grand Prairie, Sr.
Brooks, who is also a baseball standout, more than held his own on the gridiron in 2024. He threw for 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns for the 6-5 Warriors, including a season-best 328 yards and three scores in a 45-41 loss to Keller Timber Creek. Brooks earned second-team All-District 8-6A honors.

Eric Cisneros, Palmer, Sr.
Cisneros is entering his fourth year starting for the Bulldogs after a stellar junior campaign that saw him throw for 2,524 yards and 30 touchdowns to lead Palmer to a 9-3 record and a playoff victory. Cisneros was the unanimous District 6-3A Division II Most Valuable Player. He threw for 437 yards and six touchdowns in a 62-48 win over Scurry-Rosser.

Coleman Cravens, Arlington, Sr.
A steady presence in the Colts’ offense, Cravens will start for the third straight season in 2025. Last year, he threw for 1,845 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 291 yards and five touchdowns to lead Arlington to a 7-4 record and a playoff berth. Cravens earned a second-team spot on the All-District 8-6A squad.

Hayes Hackney, Prosper Walnut Grove, So.

Hackney and the Wildcats made themselves right at home in the program’s second varsity season (first of district competition) in 2024. As a freshman starter, Hackney put up dizzying numbers, throwing for 3,645 yards and 40 touchdowns to lead Walnut Grove to an 11-2 ledger and a trip to the Class 5A Division II regional semifinals. The sky is the limit for this team and Hackney, who earned TSWA Class 5A All-State honorable mention.

Quin Henigan, Denton Ryan, Sr.

Chuck Cox

Henigan is following in the footsteps of his brother Seth, who led Ryan to a state title in 2020 before embarking on a standout college career at Memphis. The son of Ryan head coach Dave Henigan, the rising senior threw for 2,637 yards and 32 touchdowns for the Raiders in 2024. Ryan finished 13-2 — including a playoff win over Aledo — and made it to the Class 5A Division I state semifinals. Henigan earned second-team All-District 3-5A Division I honors.

Braeden Imhoff, Prosper, Sr.
Hackney isn’t the only star signal-caller within the Prosper city limits. Imhoff is coming off a huge season in which he threw for 2,631 yards and 27 touchdowns for the 8-3 Eagles. Prosper lost to Coppell in the first round of the playoffs, but Imhoff was the District 6-6A Offensive Player of the Year.

Jacob Janecek, Lucas Lovejoy, Sr. (Stephen F. Austin commit)
Janecek is the latest in a line of big-time playmakers at quarterback for the Leopards. The dual-threat standout garnered District 4-5A Division II Offensive Most Valuable Player honors after throwing for 2,726 yards and 35 touchdowns, along with rushing for 846 yards and 17 touchdowns to lead Lovejoy to a 10-4 record and a regional finals trip.

Cayson Maupin, Sunnyvale, Jr.
Maupin had quite a sophomore season for the Raiders, throwing for 2,991 yards and 41 touchdowns and rushing for 461 yards and five more scores after taking over for Nelson Peterson, Jr., who transferred to Forney. Sunnyvale finished 9-4 and made it to the regional semifinals. Maupin earned the District 6-4A Division II Most Valuable Player nod.

Levi McAbee, Farmersville, Jr.
Another super sophomore, McAbee led the Farmers to an 8-4 record, including a 27-0 bi-district victory over Canton. McAbee finished the campaign with 2,220 passing yards and 21 touchdowns to earn a spot on the District 5-4A Division II first team.

Tamajae McMillon, Wilmer-Hutchins, Sr.
An under-the-radar talent, McMillon is poised for a breakout senior season. Last year, he threw for 2,026 yards and 14 touchdowns, while adding 294 rushing yards and four more touchdowns to lead the Eagles to a 7-4 season. McMillon earned District 8-4A Division I first-team accolades for his efforts.

Jerry Meyer III, Waxahachie, Jr.
One of the top returning juniors in Texas, Meyer III is coming off a monster season. In 2024, he led the Indians to a 9-4 record and a trip to the regional semifinals. Meyer III, a Division I prospect, threw for 3,308 yards and 29 touchdowns. The District 11-6A Newcomer of the Year eclipsed 200 passing yards in all but one game last season, including a 422-yard, 5-touchdown game in a 37-34 shootout win over Forney.

Quinn Murphy, Argyle Liberty, Sr. (Baylor commit)
An electrifying player for head coach Jason Witten, Murphy threw for 3,061 yards and 43 touchdowns to lead the Warriors to the TAPPS Division I state championship, denying Dallas Parish Episcopal a sixth straight state title. Murphy, a TAPPS All-State second-team pick, is ranked as the No. 190 overall player in the Class of 2026 in Texas by 24/7 Sports.

Colton Nussmeier, Flower Mound Marcus, Jr.
Part of a quarterback family that includes older brother Garrett (LSU) and dad Doug (Idaho), the rising junior is already gaining national recruiting attention from the likes of Georgia, Michigan and Auburn. Last year, Nussmeier threw for 1,889 yards and 16 touchdowns for the 6-4 Marauders. He is ranked No. 44 nationally in the Class of 2027 by 24/7 Sports.

Nelson Peterson Jr., Forney, Sr.
Peterson Jr. picked up where he left off after starting for Sunnyvale as a sophomore, then transferring a few miles away to Forney. He finished last season with 2,318 yards and 26 touchdowns passing with 739 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground for the 5-6 Jackrabbits. Peterson Jr. is the No. 143-ranked player in Texas in the Class of 2026 by 24/7 Sports.

Buck Randall, Highland Park, Jr.

Angela Piazza/Corpus Christi Caller-Times/USA TODAY NETWORK

Tradition never graduates. The Scots found another gem at quarterback in Randall, who came within one victory of winning a state title as a sophomore. Randall threw for a whopping 3,907 yards and 40 touchdowns to lead Matthew Stafford’s alma mater to a 14-2 ledger and a state runner-up finish. Randall earned a spot on the TSWA’s All-State Class 5A second team along with being named the District 7-5A Division I Offensive Most Valuable Player.

Angelo Renda, Southlake Carroll, Sr. (Pittsburgh commit)

Naomi Skinner/Wichita Falls Times Record News/USA TODAY NETWORK

Putting up one of the most remarkable seasons by any signal-caller in Texas, Renda was among the upper echelon of statistical leaders with 3,899 yards and 40 touchdowns through the air and 667 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. The No. 230 player in Texas in the Class of 2026, according to 24/7 Sports, Renda led the Dragons to a 15-1 record and a Class 6A Division II state runner-up finish. He also garnered honorable mention on the TSWA’s Class 6A All-State Team.

Jashaun Thomas, Fort Worth Paschal, Sr.
Another quarterback flying a bit under the radar, Thomas had a remarkable junior season with 1,375 passing yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 505 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns to lead the Panthers to a 7-4 record and their first playoff berth in 28 years. He also earned first-team All-District 4-5A Division I honors. Encore, encore.