The 25 greatest dual-threat college quarterbacks from the 21st century

Stopping Tebow was no easy task at the collegiate level. He became the first player to ever throw for 20-plus touchdowns while adding another 20-plus on the ground. He was just as dangerous a runner as he was a passer, which helped lead him to become the first sophomore to win the Heisman in 2007. The two-time All-American ran for 57 touchdowns with more than 2,900 rushing yards in his career. That remarkable 2007 campaign saw some otherworldly performances, such as his five-touchdown rushing game against South Carolina and the 166 yards he rushed for in a win over Ole Miss. 

Looking back on what Vick did on a football field, it's almost unbelievable. There may never be another dual-threat quarterback like him who could sling it 60-plus yards out of his left-handed cannon while also being able to hit a home run with his legs. Vick led Virginia Tech to an undefeated season while setting a freshman record for completion percentage. If you ever need to be reminded of how tantalizing a player he was, tune into his 2000 game versus Boston College and watch all 210 yards he rushed for. 

When Robinson's career at Michigan he ended, he left having the most rushing yards by a quarterback in NCAA history with 4,495. Nicknamed "Shoelace," Robinson became the first FBS player to throw for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,500 in a season. One of his most memorable efforts came in a 28-24 win at Notre Dame in which he ran for a career-high 258 yards and threw for another 244. Games like that helped to make him a campus legend in Ann Arbor. 

Ward was a magician during his days in Houston. He set school records for rushing yards and touchdowns by a quarterback, finishing with 2,375 in his career. As a junior, Ward dazzled with his legs, going for 1,108 yards on the ground and 21 scores. Then, as a senior, he tormented defenses through the air with more than 3,500 yards. He shone in the 2015 Peach Bowl in a win over Florida State, totaling more than 300 yards with his arm and legs, along with three touchdowns en route to being named the MVP. 

The numbers on Kaepernick's time in Nevada are something out of a video game. The two-time WAC Player of the Year was the first ever to finish a career with 10,000 passing and 4,000 rushing yards. He was instrumental in putting the Wolfpack on the map, including a bowl win over Boston College that put an exclamation point on Nevada's historic 13-1 season. During that senior run, Kap put up 20 touchdowns on the ground and 21 through the air. 

If you follow the NFL, you probably aren't shocked to learn that Jackson was just as dynamic at the collegiate level. In 2016, he totaled 51 touchdowns (30 passing, 21 rushing) en route to winning the Heisman. The ease at which he would escape the pocket was breathtaking to watch, cementing himself as one of the all-time great dual-threat options. In three seasons, Jackson racked up more than 4,100 rushing yards. 

Smith was never considered a threat to bust out a 40-plus yard run with his legs, but what he did bring was the ability to move the pocket and pick up the first down by tucking and running. It was a skill set that helped catapult the Utes to national relevance in the mid-2000s. In 2004, Smith had a 32-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio while adding another 631 yards and 10 scores on the ground. That helped lead Utah to a perfect 12-0 season highlighted by a 35-7 Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh, a game that saw Smith have nearly 400 total yards and four touchdowns. 

If you need any clarification for why Lynch is on the list, just look at Northern Illinois' 2013 game against Western Michigan. That was where Lynch carved the opposition for an FBS-record 321 rushing yards by a quarterback. To no surprise, Lynch hung up the cleats as the all-time Division 1 leader for quarterback rushing yards, a record that would eventually be surpassed. Regardless, his career accomplishments out of a smaller program were remarkable, even garnering Heisman votes to finish third in 2013, which was then the highest a mid-major player had ever finished. 

The Texas quarterback defied logic when he was out on the field. From the jump, it was clear that Young was moving out at a different speed than everyone else. His 2005 campaign remains one of the best runs by a collegiate quarterback. He racked up more than 4,000 total yards (1,050 via the run) with 38 combined touchdowns. That helped lead Texas to a national championship in a game that Young set the bowl record for rushing by a QB (200).  

Unlike most guys on this list, Newton's time in college was spread across three different campuses. Once he landed in Auburn for his junior season, though, the dual-threat talent of Newton was impossible to miss. He led the Tigers to a national title with 30 passing and a historic 20 rushing touchdowns, becoming the first FBS player to reach those numbers in the same season. He literally won every award that season, too, from Heisman to AP Player of the Year and a slew of other media recognition. He was a man amongst boys at Auburn, just as he was once he reached the NFL. 

The man “Johny Football” was the ultimate college star. While his NFL career was underwhelming, his time at Texas A&M was beyond sensational. He played two seasons, totaling more than 7,800 passing yards, 2,100 rushing yards, and a combined 52 touchdowns. He starred en route to a 2012 Heisman win that saw him lighten up the running in favor of his arm, unloading 4,114 yards and 37 touchdowns. He finished his tenure with five total touchdowns in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. 

One of the original O.G.’s for dual-threat quarterbacks in the 2000s, White was a two-time Big East Player of the Year. He never threw for more than 2,000 yards, but he didn’t need to. He had multiple seasons with 1,200 or more rushing yards, including a stretch from 2006 to 2007 that saw him reach the end zone with his legs 32 times. His 4,480 rushing yards were the most for a QB upon graduation. 

Anyone who watched RG3’s Baylor career was the least bit surprised to see him burst onto the scene as an NFL rookie. His 2011 Heisman campaign saw him surpass 4,000 passing yards, 600 rushing yards, and 47 touchdowns combined. He was a pass-first quarterback who utilized his legs when he needed to, though he had more than enough capabilities to take over a game on the ground if he chose to. 

SEC. Big 12. It didn’t matter for Hurts. The eventual second-round draft pick balled out over three seasons in Alabama and one year at Oklahoma. He burst onto the scene with 2,780 passing yards and another 954 yards on the ground as a freshman. In his final season with the Sooners, he dominated with his first 1,000-yard rushing campaign that saw him total 52 touchdowns. All in all, he was responsible for 123 touchdowns at the college level. 

The 2014 Heisman did it all for Oregon. In Chip Kelly’s high-octane offense, it was Mariota who served as the catalyst. He had an absurd 42 passing touchdown season that saw just four interceptions. Oh, and he ran for another 15 that season. Over his three-year career, Mariota totaled 134 touchdowns. He also had multiple seasons with a 68 or higher completion percentage. 

Before playing two seasons at Ohio State, Fields suited up for Georgia. That was where he first showed the type of player he could be, particularly in a blowout game over Massachusetts. That was when he came in, rushed for 100 yards and a score, and tossed two touchdowns on only five throws. After transferring, Fields would go on to win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year both seasons, account for more than 6,000 yards. He racked up 78 touchdowns between 2019 and 2020. 

You don't become an eventual No. 2 overall pick without having something that separates you from the pack. For Daniels, that was his legs. His 2023 Heisman season saw him rack up 50 total touchdowns, 3,812 passing yards, and 1,134 rushing yards. His precision as a passer and effectiveness as a runner played a role in him becoming the first FBS player with 1,000 rushing and 3,500 passing yards in a season. 

Watson's numbers as a sophomore and junior are hard to believe. He took being a dual-threat option to the next level with elite passing metrics to go with his ability to beat defenses with his legs. He racked up more than 8,600 passing yards over those two years, with a career-best 4,593 in 2016. That same span saw him rush for over 1,700 yards, all while accounting for -- wait for it -- 97 touchdowns in two seasons. He somehow never won a Heisman, finishing second and third in voting those years, but he did lead Clemson to the national title in 2016. 

A two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Miller is among the best dual-threat quarterbacks to suit up for the Buckeyes. He racked up multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons along with 33 touchdowns via his legs. He also put up more than 2,000 passing yards in two of his three full seasons.

He doesn't have the overall numbers as some of the other storied dual-threat quarterbacks, but Robinson was just as fierce a runner. He accounted for 806 yards and 11 scores on the ground as a senior, throwing for another 2,350 and 17 touchdowns. He was a physical force when he would tuck it and run, which is why he ended up converting to fullback in the NFL. 

Once Dobbs fully got the reins as a junior and senior, he proved to Vols nation that he was just as skilled a passer as he was a runner. He ran for more than 650 yards in each of those two seasons, along with 23 rushing touchdowns in that span. Those two years also saw him put up 2,200-plus throwing yards, including a senior campaign that resulted in 2,946 yards and 27 touchdowns. He only went 17-9 as a starter during that timeframe, though he capped off his career with an Outback Bowl win. 

As a freshman, Martinez burst onto the scene in Lincoln with 965 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. In his fifth game ever, Martinez set a school record with 241 rushing yards by a quarterback. That same game saw him run it into the endzone four times. His career was truly electric, but it didn't come without its warts. For a program as decorated as Nebraska, he could never bring them a bowl victory, going 0-3 in his tenure.

The Missouri Tigers were rewarded with four incredible years under the lead of Smith. At the time of his graduation in 2005, no Division 1 quarterback had ever thrown for more than 8,000 career yards while rushing for 4,000-plus. Many of the dynamic quarterbacks to follow him over the next two decades can thank him for providing the blueprint to what a mobile quarterback can accomplish in the right system. His resume includes a 200-yard rushing game, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and an induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Pryor never had a rushing season that saw him eclipse the century mark, but his silky-smooth escapes and ability to extend plays (and drives) with his legs made him a nightmare for opposing defenses. In the storied Ohio State history, Pryor set the single-season mark for total yardage with 2,772 passing and 754 rushing as a junior. In the 2011 Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas, Pryor put up 336 total yards, including a career-best 115 with his legs. 

Navy's triple option is ripe for spotlighting dual-threat quarterbacks, yet none have accomplished what Reynolds did during his tenure. A 2015 third-team All-American, Reynolds has rushed for more yards (4,559) and touchdowns (88) than any collegiate quarterback. His dominance on the ground propelled Navy to some of its most successful years, including a record-high 11 wins in 2015. Above all else, he led the Midshipmen to a 4-0 record against rival Army. He is forever enshrined in the program's history after having his jersey number retired, joining the likes of Roger Staubach.