Hogs’ Offer of Viral 8th-Grade QB Can’t Help But Bring Up Kane Archer, Houston Nutt

Bryson Kennedy, Arkansas football, Kane Archer, Houston Nutt, Auburn football
photo credit: Instagram/Kane Archer / courtesy the Kennedy family / Arkansas Athletics

Arkansas extended what is believed to be its first scholarship offer to a Class of 2029 prospect Friday, throwing its hat into the ring for in-state quarterback Bryson Kennedy.

Still early in the second semester of his eighth grade year, Kennedy turned 14 earlier this month. He may be the second-youngest player ever to receive an offer from the Razorbacks.

The offer — which his father, Anthony Sr., told Best of Arkansas Sports was extended by Arkansas assistant quarterbacks coach Miles Fishback — came a few hours after Auburn became his first offer.

More on Arkansas Offer Bryson Kennedy

Bryson Kennedy is the younger brother of Anthony Kennedy Jr., a 2026 four-star defensive end committed to Missouri. While the 6-foot-6, 280-pound older brother has been known for a while, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound younger brother recently burst onto the recruiting scene himself because a video of him throwing passes went viral on Twitter.

The 27-second clip was posted Thursday night and, as Anthony Sr. described it, his phone was blowing up all day Friday, with several schools expressing interest in his son and both Auburn and Arkansas pulling the trigger with offers.

In a video that has so far garnered more than 86,000 views, the right-handed Bryson Kennedy is shown making 10 throws — the last of which was with his left arm. It appeared to be just as strong and accurate as the first nine with his right arm. Also a talented point guard, he can shoot with both hands, as well.

He played up with the ninth grade team as an eighth grader at Maumelle, but he and his older brother have since transferred school districts and will play together at Little Rock Central next season. The Tigers struggled to three straight winless seasons from 2021-23, but snapped a 33-game losing streak with a pair of wins this past season under second-year coach Anthony Robinson.

There will be a quarterback competition at LRCH this spring, but Kennedy has a chance to become the historic program’s first four-year starter at the position. Some observers have also speculated that he may one day develop into Central’s best quarterback since Houston Nutt. Another two-sport star, Nutt signed to play football and basketball for the Razorbacks in the 1976 class – 53 years before Kennedy is set to graduate.

Despite his older brother committing to Missouri last month, it sounds like the offer from Arkansas was a big deal to Bryson Kennedy and his father.

“It would mean a lot,” Anthony Kennedy Sr. told BoAS less than an hour before the Razorbacks offered. “This is our home state, this is where we’re from. Who doesn’t want to be a Razorback? Who doesn’t want to play on the Hill?”

Kennedy’s father also revealed that Anthony Kennedy Jr. “definitely” planned to take an official visit to Fayetteville, even though he’s pledged to the Razorbacks’ rival to the north. No date has been set, but it’s in the works for the rising senior.

Similarities to Kane Archer

Until a few years ago, Bryson Kennedy likely would have been the youngest player ever offered by Arkansas football. Instead, that title belongs to Kane Archer.

When the Razorbacks offered the 2026 quarterback from Greenwood on Sept. 13, 2021, just a couple days after their field-storming win over Texas, he was just a 13-year-old eighth grader.

They also weren’t the first offer for Archer, as Michigan and Missouri had previously extended scholarships during the summer. He eventually added an offer from Florida State, too, before starting high school.

Archer has lived up to the hype in terms of on-field production, leading Greenwood to back-to-back Class 6A state titles with a 26-0 record as a starting quarterback. This season, he threw for 3,880 yards and had more touchdown passes (57) than incompletions (56), helping him set the state completion percentage record at 81.5%, plus added 795 yards and 10 scores on the ground.

Despite those gaudy numbers and being named the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year, experts appear to be split over Archer and his potential at the next level. While Rivals and On3 have him rated as a four-star prospect, 247Sports considers him just a mid-tier three-star.

After the early surge from big-time schools, Archer’s most recent offers have come from Florida Atlantic, Appalachian State and UCF. While the Razorbacks offered him early, they aren’t believed to be heavily pursuing him now after landing another quarterback in the 2026 class.

The other connection between the two eighth-grade phenoms is that they both have an older brother being recruited on the other side of the ball – but they aren’t quite the same.

Cash Archer picked up several FBS offers, including Louisville and Ole Miss, but ultimately chose to sign with Central Arkansas at the FCS level as a 2025 outside linebacker.

Anthony Kennedy Jr., meanwhile, is a heralded four-star prospect in the 2026 cycle who has eight SEC offers – including from the Razorbacks – and several other Power Four programs, like Miami (Fla.), Michigan and USC.

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More clips of Bryson Kennedy:

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More coverage of Arkansas football and Kane Archer from BoAS… 

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