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2015 College First-Down Rate per Dropback Leaders

College play-by-play before 2025 does not record where passes went, so depth, direction, ACE and throw maps start in 2025. Counting stats are the official NCAA season lines.

The share of dropbacks that produced a first down or touchdown, including scrambles.

The 2015 leaders: Brandon Allen (41.9%), Brandon Doughty (41.3%), Nate Sudfeld (40.6%).

First-Down Rate per Dropback

Minimum to rank: 15 pass attempts per team game (the NCAA's minimum for passing efficiency). 115 players.

RkPlayerPosTeamAttDropbacks1D%
1Brandon AllenQBARK34434441.9%
2Brandon DoughtyQBWKU49647241.3%
3Nate SudfeldQBIU36135540.6%
4Gunner KielQBCIN31631740.4%
5Paxton LynchQBMEM40641740.0%
6Kevin HoganQBSTAN28329239.7%
7Baker MayfieldQBOU35436939.3%
8Trevone BoykinQBTCU39639339.2%
9Seth RussellQBBAY20019238.5%
10Zach TerrellQBWMU36536338.3%
11Connor CookQBMSU36937537.9%
12Deshaun WatsonQBCLEM41341037.8%
13Vernon Adams Jr.QBORE24025737.7%
14Nick MullensQBUSM48349737.2%
15Taylor LambQBAPP25725037.2%
16Mason RudolphQBOKST39340636.9%
17Hayden MooreQBCIN19520136.8%
18Matt JohnsonQBBGSU50853936.7%
19Chad KellyQBMISS42543436.6%
20Jared GoffQBCAL49250536.4%
21Marquise WilliamsQBUNC32132736.1%
22Joel StaveQBWIS34335536.1%
23Nick StevensQBCSU30530836.0%
24Jeff DriskelQBLT41241635.8%
25Brad KaayaQBMIA35836735.7%
26Phillip ElyQBTOL37534235.7%
27Cooper RushQBCMU46044435.6%
28Jake BrowningQBWASH33435735.3%
29Jake RudockQBMICH35836835.1%
30Nathan PetermanQBPITT29331135.0%
31Blake DeckerQBUNLV20921435.0%
32Blake KempQBECU37538335.0%
33Nick ArbuckleQBGAST45747235.0%
34Brett RypienQBBOIS39040034.8%
35Everett GolsonQBFSU21923134.6%
36Driphus JacksonQBRICE31632134.6%
37Thomas WoodsonQBAKR27826734.5%
38Greyson LambertQBUGA23623834.5%
39DeShone KizerQBND29830134.2%
40Anu SolomonQBARIZ30631934.2%
41Greg Ward Jr.QBHOU30432234.2%
42Matt JohnsQBUVA40341734.1%
43Joshua DobbsQBTENN31933534.0%
44Kenny PotterQBSJSU25127433.9%
45Luke FalkQBWSU59161233.7%
46Brent StockstillQBMTSU45145333.6%
47Cody KesslerQBUSC41444333.4%
48Dak PrescottQBMSST43545833.4%
49Dane EvansQBTLSA44146433.4%
50Chase LittonQBMRSH34936133.2%
51Maxwell SmithQBSDSU20021133.2%
52Brandon SilversQBTROY33033533.1%
53C.J. BeathardQBIOWA32934132.6%
54Skyler HowardQBWVU35237832.5%
55Chris LavianoQBRUTG30732032.5%
56Joe LicataQBBUF44942332.4%
57Tommy Armstrong Jr.QBNEB38338332.4%
58Drew HareQBNIU25726632.3%
59Tyler StewartQBNEV31332632.2%
60Josh RosenQBUCLA44745332.0%
61Mike BercoviciQBASU48050831.9%
62Patrick MahomesQBTTU51752031.5%
63P.J. WalkerQBTEM38740031.5%
64Jacoby BrissettQBNCSU36738931.4%
65Thomas SirkQBDUKE39039331.3%
66Tanner MangumQBBYU39040931.3%
67Derrius VickQBOHIO24726731.1%
68Brogan RobackQBEMU34635231.0%
69Matt LinehanQBIDHO39137530.9%
70Sefo LiufauQBCOLO34431730.9%
71Cameron CoffmanQBWYO24125930.9%
72Justin ThomasQBGT18018930.7%
73Fredi KnightenQBARST22323530.6%
74Jake CokerQBALA33835030.6%
75Mitch LeidnerQBMINN37738430.5%
76John WolfordQBWAKE23325430.3%
77Lamar JacksonQBLOU22123830.3%
78Quinton FlowersQBUSF24424830.2%
79Alex McGoughQBFIU42040630.0%
80Tyler JonesQBTXST38235429.7%
81Bryant ShirreffsQBCONN26228729.6%
82Dalton SturmQBUTSA21224329.2%
83Clayton ThorsonQBNU27528728.9%
84Perry OrthQBSC26127128.8%
85Jaquez JohnsonQBFAU23924928.5%
86Brooks HaackQBUL20121228.3%
87Brandon HarrisQBLSU25426228.2%
88Wes LuntQBILL48149528.1%
89Blake FrohnapfelQBMASS47248928.0%
90Tanner LeeQBTULN27629328.0%
91Kyle AllenQBTA&M28329027.9%
92Mack LeftwichQBUTEP19215627.6%
93Travis WilsonQBUTAH29831227.6%
94Garrett SmithQBULM33335627.5%
95Austin ApplebyQBPUR20721527.4%
96Patrick TowlesQBUK32635427.4%
97Billy BahlQBM-OH22123927.2%
98Cody ClementsQBUSA32434226.9%
99Joel LanningQBISU19321226.9%
100Matt DavisQBSMU33636626.8%

More 2015 College Quarterback Leaderboards

EPA per Dropback Success Rate Total Passing EPA Total QB EPA (Passing + Rushing) Explosive Pass Rate Negative-Play Rate EPA per Dropback, Excluding Garbage Time NFL Passer Rating Completion % Yards per Attempt Adjusted Net Yards per Attempt Adjusted Yards per Attempt Net Yards per Attempt Yards per Completion Touchdown % Interception % TD:INT Ratio Sack % Passing Yards per Game Pass Attempts per Game Passing Yards Passing Touchdowns Completions Pass Attempts Interceptions Thrown Sacks Taken Passing First Downs 20+ Yard Completions 40+ Yard Completions Longest Completion 300-Yard Passing Games 4-Touchdown Games Wins as Starter 3rd-Down Conversion Rate Red Zone Touchdown Rate Clutch EPA per Dropback Clutch Passer Rating Two-Minute Drill EPA per Dropback Game-Winning Drives 4th-Quarter Comebacks Quarterback Rushing Yards Quarterback Rushing EPA Quarterback Rushing Yards Excluding Sacks NCAA Passing Efficiency QB Sneak Conversion Rate Touchdowns Responsible For Total Yards (Passing + Rushing)

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