LITTLE ROCK — Rogers Heritage junior quarterback Josh Qualls earned his way to being one of more than 300 invited prospects attending the Proving Ground National Combine on Jan. 3 in Carson, California after getting noticed at the Prodigy Camp in Naples, Florida in July.
Qualls, 6-1, 175, 4.59 seconds in the 40 yard dash, is drawing interest from Arkansas, Auburn, Tennessee, LSU, Oklahoma State, Norte Dame and others.
This season, he completed 163 of 295 passes for 2,388 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 213 yards and 4 touchdowns.
While his talent is impressive, his toughness maybe even more impressive after he suffered a Grade II separation of his right shoulder in the first game of the year against Ft. Smith Southside.
"We're trying to decide if we're going to have surgery or if we're going to play." said War Eagles quarterback coach Hal Qualls, who's also Josh's father.
He showed mental and physical toughness by playing in the next three games.
"His numbers went down, he threw some interceptions," Hal Qualls said. "Finally he started getting healthy the last five weeks and he didn't throw a pick. Nobody up here knows about that. He couldn't even brush his teeth with his right hand and he's out there trying to play quarterback."
Qualls completed 168 of 280 passes for 2,497 yards and 25 touchdowns as a sophomore.