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2016 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 2016 leaders: Baker Mayfield (44.4%), Mike White (43.9%), Brett Rypien (41.3%).

First-Down Rate per Dropback

Minimum to rank: 15 pass attempts per team game (the NCAA's minimum for passing efficiency). 112 players.

RkPlayerPosTeamAttDropbacks1D%
1Baker MayfieldQBOU33033144.4%
2Mike WhiteQBWKU38635343.9%
3Brett RypienQBBOIS34334141.3%
4Zach TerrellQBWMU34933941.0%
5Logan WoodsideQBTOL39236540.5%
6Nathan PetermanQBPITT28829739.4%
7Deshaun WatsonQBCLEM48647838.9%
8Sam DarnoldQBUSC31331038.7%
9Ryan HigginsQBLT45646738.5%
10Jerod EvansQBVT38940638.4%
11Jake BrowningQBWASH35335337.4%
12Chad KellyQBMISS32833337.2%
13Patrick MahomesQBTTU59160636.8%
14Austin AllenQBARK37038636.8%
15Dane EvansQBTLSA39740836.8%
16Josh AllenQBWYO34134736.6%
17Taylor LambQBAPP29327336.3%
18Skyler HowardQBWVU37838936.2%
19Mitchell TrubiskyQBUNC40841536.1%
20Tommy Armstrong Jr.QBNEB29429736.0%
21David WashingtonQBODU32030635.9%
22Joshua DobbsQBTENN31933235.8%
23Luke FalkQBWSU58259835.8%
24Riley FergusonQBMEM40042135.6%
25Mason RudolphQBOKST41643835.4%
26Sean WhiteQBAUB19821035.2%
27Greg Ward Jr.QBHOU43544735.1%
28Christian ChapmanQBSDSU23722934.9%
29Josh RosenQBUCLA23124134.4%
30Deondre FrancoisQBFSU37339234.4%
31Nick MullensQBUSM34435534.4%
32Tyler O'ConnorQBMSU26227534.2%
33Lamar JacksonQBLOU38240834.1%
34Brent StockstillQBMTSU36332034.1%
35Jacob ParkQBISU22623834.0%
36DeShone KizerQBND36138234.0%
37Thomas WoodsonQBAKR24224833.9%
38Kyle ShurmurQBVAN32935233.5%
39Wilton SpeightQBMICH29329333.4%
40Ryan FinleyQBNCSU37238333.4%
41Brad KaayaQBMIA38740333.3%
42Phillip WalkerQBTEM34636433.2%
43Philip NelsonQBECU34736133.2%
44Richard LagowQBIU39941933.2%
45Justice HansenQBARST31432133.0%
46Dallas DavisQBUSA32633732.9%
47Daniel JonesQBDUKE41543632.8%
48Matt LinehanQBIDHO38432232.6%
49Brandon SilversQBTROY41934132.6%
50Luke Del RioQBFLA20120332.5%
51Andrew FordQBMASS36539132.5%
52Quinton FlowersQBUSF29927132.5%
53Brogan RobackQBEMU32633032.4%
54Ryan MetzQBUTEP20118632.3%
55Trace McSorleyQBPSU35837232.3%
56Danny EtlingQBLSU24025032.0%
57James MorganQBBGSU32630131.9%
58Riley NealQBBALL39440531.9%
59Mitch LeidnerQBMINN28729831.5%
60Jason DriskelQBFAU32732531.4%
61Hayden MooreQBCIN25527131.4%
62Davis WebbQBCAL62062231.2%
63Dru BrownQBHAW30531131.2%
64Kenny HillQBTCU41343031.2%
65Cooper RushQBCMU41643131.1%
66Eric DungeyQBSYR35537430.7%
67Taysom HillQBBYU37435630.6%
68Alex McGoughQBFIU28629230.5%
69Stephen JohnsonQBUK23123730.4%
70Jalen HurtsQBALA33734630.3%
71Clayton ThorsonQBNU44247530.3%
72Bryant ShirreffsQBCONN28330130.2%
73Dalton SturmQBUTSA27326830.2%
74Kenny PotterQBSJSU30834130.2%
75Ben HicksQBSMU42243829.9%
76Jacob EasonQBUGA34935629.8%
77Troy WilliamsQBUTAH36738329.8%
78Drew LockQBMIZ43443729.7%
79Tyler JonesQBTXST34337429.7%
80Shane BuecheleQBTEX39141129.4%
81Justin HerbertQBORE25526229.4%
82Manny WilkinsQBASU31133829.3%
83Gardner MinshewQBECU20220729.0%
84Greg WindhamQBOHIO24924228.9%
85Jesse ErtzQBKSU24426328.9%
86Conner ManningQBGAST37337828.8%
87Kurt BenkertQBUVA40643328.4%
88Trevor KnightQBTA&M31431028.4%
89Nick FitzgeraldQBMSST33534228.4%
90Sefo LiufauQBCOLO29028028.2%
91Chase LittonQBMRSH37133728.2%
92C.J. BeathardQBIOWA27830028.0%
93Patrick TowlesQBBC25126828.0%
94Kent MyersQBUSU36238427.9%
95Tyler StehlingQBRICE31633327.3%
96Austin ApplebyQBFLA18419827.3%
97J.T. BarrettQBOSU34635627.2%
98Hasaan KlughQBCLT22423327.0%
99McKenzie MiltonQBUCF29727126.9%
100Brandon DawkinsQBARIZ18217126.9%

More 2016 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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