QuarterbackStats.comQuarterbackStats.com

2021 College 3rd-Down Conversion Rate 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.

First downs or touchdowns on 3rd-down dropbacks.

The 2021 leaders: Aidan O'Connell (50.6%), Sam Hartman (50.4%), Bryce Young (50.0%).

3rd-Down Conversion Rate

Minimum to rank: t3 db >= 4 × team games. 119 players.

RkPlayerPosTeamAttDropbacks3D Conv%
1Aidan O'ConnellQBPUR39339950.6%
2Sam HartmanQBWAKE46948650.4%
3Bryce YoungQBALA46248450.0%
4Emory JonesQBFLA31031650.0%
5Jake BentleyQBUSA30326050.0%
6Frank HarrisQBUTSA36236549.0%
7Skylar ThompsonQBKSU20521747.5%
8Logan BonnerQBUSU42042347.5%
9Brennan ArmstrongQBUVA50151946.8%
10C.J. StroudQBOSU39539345.7%
11Gunnar HolmbergQBDUKE32433845.5%
12Bailey ZappeQBWKU63966745.3%
13Will LevisQBUK32534045.1%
14Daniel RichardsonQBCMU28226643.9%
15Jaxson DartQBUSC18921643.6%
16Will RogersQBMSST63064643.0%
17Tyler Van DykeQBMIA32433642.9%
18Max DugganQBTCU22722842.6%
19Carson StrongQBNEV52454542.3%
20Spencer SandersQBOKST34034142.2%
21Malik CunninghamQBLOU31632542.0%
22Sean CliffordQBPSU39640041.8%
23Clayton TuneQBHOU38141141.7%
24N'Kosi PerryQBFAU34534041.4%
25Dylan MorrisQBWASH36333041.4%
26Kenny PickettQBPITT49748941.4%
27Hank BachmeierQBBOIS40141641.2%
28Kyle VantreaseQBBUF26227141.0%
29Bo NixQBAUB32333440.9%
30Cameron RisingQBUTAH29829340.9%
31Taylor PowellQBTROY18918740.8%
32Matt McDonaldQBBGSU39339640.7%
33Tanner MordecaiQBSMU45446440.7%
34Kaleb ElebyQBWMU34835940.7%
35Jayden de LauraQBWSU34234340.5%
36Chase BriceQBAPP36737540.4%
37Cameron FrielQBUNLV22623140.3%
38Todd CenteioQBCSU38038840.3%
39Brady McBrideQBTXST24425040.0%
40Brock PurdyQBISU36838040.0%
41Seth HeniganQBMEM39341040.0%
42Jack CoanQBND31733839.8%
43Anthony BrownQBORE35036039.7%
44Connor BazelakQBMIZ37737539.6%
45Chance NolanQBORST28828739.2%
46Casey ThompsonQBTEX26126639.1%
47Hendon HookerQBTENN26128639.1%
48Davis BrinQBTLSA37637039.0%
49Ben BryantQBEMU37238939.0%
50Dorian Thompson-RobinsonQBUCLA28329539.0%
51Caleb WilliamsQBOU18419838.8%
52Dylan HopkinsQBUAB21224038.5%
53Jake HaenerQBFRES44946338.2%
54Max JohnsonQBLSU37337738.2%
55Jordan TravisQBFSU19421237.7%
56Kedon SlovisQBUSC29728737.7%
57Devin LearyQBNCSU43144637.6%
58Jake ConstantineQBRICE20622637.1%
59Austin KendallQBLT24325936.7%
60Jarret DoegeQBWVU38641136.4%
61Jonah JohnsonQBNMSU43844636.3%
62Chevan CordeiroQBHAW35335436.3%
63Chris ReynoldsQBCLT33834036.1%
64Hayden WolffQBODU22521335.2%
65Levi LewisQBUL36036035.1%
66Cade McNamaraQBMICH30830935.0%
67Gunnar WatsonQBTROY22823735.0%
68Nick StarkelQBSJSU24822834.8%
69Tanner MorganQBMINN23624434.8%
70Layne HatcherQBARST34133234.7%
71Jeff SimsQBGT18818634.6%
72Chase GarbersQBCAL34837234.0%
73Sean ChambersQBWYO17718834.0%
74Sam HowellQBUNC32736133.7%
75Spencer PetrasQBIOWA25827833.7%
76Gavin HardisonQBUTEP33229433.7%
77KJ JeffersonQBARK27528433.3%
78Will PlummerQBARIZ26728533.3%
79Rocky LombardiQBNIU31030532.6%
80Chandler RogersQBULM17919932.3%
81Austin AuneQBUNT26324832.1%
82Mike Wright Jr.QBVAN17518332.1%
83Holton AhlersQBECU41443432.0%
84Payton ThorneQBMSU33934332.0%
85Brandon PetersQBILL16918031.8%
86Ken SealsQBVAN22422131.4%
87Tanner McKeeQBSTAN31533631.3%
88Dennis GroselQBBC19220031.2%
89Timmy McClainQBUSF26227831.1%
90Michael PrattQBTULN32834631.1%
91Brett GabbertQBM-OH26825231.0%
92Grant WellsQBMRSH41941731.0%
93Dustin CrumQBKENT35537230.8%
94Adrian MartinezQBNEB30632230.4%
95Max BortenschlagerQBFIU34229230.4%
96Jayden DanielsQBASU28029330.3%
97Malik WillisQBLIB31536130.0%
98Jaren HallQBBYU29630729.8%
99Stetson BennettQBUGA23123729.8%
100Braxton BurmeisterQBVT25526329.7%

More 2021 College Quarterback Leaderboards

EPA per Dropback Success Rate Total Passing EPA Total QB EPA (Passing + Rushing) First-Down Rate per Dropback 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 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)

Other seasons: 2026 · 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2020 · 2019 · 2018 · 2017 · 2016 · 2015 · 2014 · 2013 · 2012 · 2011

QBS BLOG · PASSING QUESTIONS · MINDSET

Understanding the Throw.

What the box score cannot tell you about the people behind the pass.

All Posts →
FROM THE A-GAME PODCAST

10 Mind-Body Performance Recovery Tools Backed By Science

Learn the break down of ten mind-body recovery tools, each backed by science, including how and when to use them to perform at your peak.

Listen to the Episode ↗