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2018 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 2018 leaders: Kyler Murray (49.4%), Tua Tagovailoa (43.3%), Dwayne Haskins (41.4%).

First-Down Rate per Dropback

Minimum to rank: 15 pass attempts per team game (the NCAA's minimum for passing efficiency). 121 players.

RkPlayerPosTeamAttDropbacks1D%
1Kyler MurrayQBOU33934649.4%
2Tua TagovailoaQBALA29428943.3%
3Dwayne HaskinsQBOSU49449541.4%
4Ryan FinleyQBNCSU41545541.1%
5Alan BowmanQBTTU32733140.8%
6Jake BrowningQBWASH33235139.3%
7McKenzie MiltonQBUCF28929039.3%
8Ian BookQBND28028139.1%
9Jake FrommQBUGA27127038.9%
10Will GrierQBWVU39740538.8%
11Mason FineQBUNT45747238.6%
12D'Eriq KingQBHOU34535338.5%
13Marcus McMaryionQBFRES39840538.5%
14Jordan LoveQBUSU37337438.0%
15James MorganQBFIU32633137.8%
16Brady WhiteQBMEM36538337.6%
17Nathan RourkeQBOHIO25326437.5%
18Alex HornibrookQBWIS20521737.3%
19K.J. CostelloQBSTAN39440837.0%
20Zac ThomasQBAPP23024236.8%
21Trevor LawrenceQBCLEM32633236.7%
22Gardner MinshewQBWSU61361736.6%
23Jon WassinkQBWMU24424636.6%
24Kyle ShurmurQBVAN36938236.4%
25Taylor CorneliusQBOKST43946336.3%
26Jack AbrahamQBUSM30532336.2%
27Drew LockQBMIZ39940436.1%
28Feleipe FranksQBFLA29930536.1%
29Sam EhlingerQBTEX39741135.8%
30Jake BentleyQBSC34935635.7%
31Desmond RidderQBCIN30432135.5%
32Brett RypienQBBOIS44746835.5%
33Brock PurdyQBISU19320635.4%
34Cole McDonaldQBHAW46448935.4%
35Wilton SpeightQBUCLA20721835.3%
36Jordan Ta'amuQBMISS37644135.1%
37Manny WilkinsQBASU36037035.1%
38Justice HansenQBARST38840335.0%
39Nate StanleyQBIOWA36536935.0%
40Jake LutonQBORST22323834.9%
41Kellen MondQBTA&M38641734.8%
42Anthony RussoQBTEM29930534.4%
43Zack AnnexstadQBMINN18719934.2%
44A.J. ErdelyQBUAB19921134.1%
45Shea PattersonQBMICH28929934.1%
46Gus RaglandQBM-OH37138734.1%
47Khalil TateQBARIZ30230934.0%
48Justin HerbertQBORE37138733.9%
49Stephen CalvertQBLIB43945633.8%
50Andre NunezQBUL27028133.5%
51K.J. Carta-SamuelsQBCSU29830333.3%
52Ryan WillisQBVT33335133.3%
53Blake LaRussaQBODU39141933.2%
54Bryce PerkinsQBUVA31834433.1%
55Dan EllingtonQBGAST29229033.1%
56Eli PetersQBTOL22723432.9%
57Ty GangiQBNEV40841432.9%
58Blake BarnettQBUSF32730332.7%
59Chris RobisonQBFAU30428232.6%
60Adrian MartinezQBNEB34736532.6%
61Jarret DoegeQBBGSU38941532.5%
62Sam HartmanQBWAKE29131432.5%
63Jarrett GuarantanoQBTENN24626532.1%
64Caleb EvansQBULM37438832.0%
65David BloughQBPUR42544431.8%
66Brian LewerkeQBMSU29530931.7%
67Ryan AgnewQBSDSU19721531.6%
68Collin HillQBCSU20221231.6%
69Charlie BrewerQBBAY35538031.6%
70Tyree JacksonQBBUF37238131.5%
71Josh LoveQBSJSU28930331.4%
72Ross ComisQBMASS19721731.3%
73Isaiah GreenQBMRSH30531131.2%
74Terry WilsonQBUK25227031.1%
75Steven MontezQBCOLO39842231.0%
76Tyler WiegersQBEMU26428030.7%
77Brent StockstillQBMTSU42544430.6%
78Shawn StankavageQBRICE21823230.6%
79Seth BoomerQBTLSA19822030.5%
80Joe BurrowQBLSU34537530.4%
81Anthony BrownQBBC28529730.0%
82Clayton ThorsonQBNU46049129.9%
83J'Mar SmithQBLT42945129.9%
84Sawyer SmithQBTROY18619429.9%
85Sheriron JonesQBUNM18819429.9%
86Nathan ElliottQBUNC32432529.8%
87Shawn RobinsonQBTCU20320529.8%
88Eric DungeyQBSYR34235729.7%
89Trace McSorleyQBPSU32934429.7%
90JT DanielsQBUSC36237729.4%
91Tyler HuntleyQBUTAH23324929.3%
92Peyton RamseyQBIU44646829.3%
93Ben HicksQBSMU37039429.2%
94Evan OrthQBUSA22221329.1%
95Tyler VittQBTXST19120828.8%
96Kato NelsonQBAKR34236528.8%
97Daniel JonesQBDUKE35137328.7%
98Jarrett StidhamQBAUB34836328.7%
99Holton AhlersQBECU26227628.6%
100Riley NealQBBALL33534428.5%

More 2018 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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