I will be interested to see where Malik Willis lands. He’ll need substantial time to develop, but his mobility will make it a lot easier for him to make an impact in fantasy leagues.
Whether any team can get him coached up to the point where he can be put on a field in 2022, I have no idea. If you watch the game against Ole Miss, Willis doesn’t look like a guy who’ll be starting in the NFL anytime soon. But the mobility definitely looks good, with above-average speed and more tackle-breaking ability than you typically see with a quarterback.
Below see a chart showing quarterbacks who ran for at least 600 yards in a college season. And I’m looking here only at quarterbacks who were selected with first- and second-round draft picks – guys who are considered viable pro prospects.
With a few notable expectations (Johnny Manziel, Jake Locker), when a quarterback was an effective runner at the college level, that skill tended to translate to the next level. In general, it’s a stickier skill than what’s being done through the air. Many notable college passers crash and burn at the pro level. But when a guy can run, that tends to apply to the pro game.
COLLEGE QUARTERBACKS / RUSHING STATS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
2016 | Lamar Jackson | 232 | 1,601 | 6.90 | 18 |
2017 | Lamar Jackson | 260 | 1,571 | 6.04 | 21 |
2010 | Cam Newton | 264 | 1,473 | 5.58 | 20 |
2012 | Johnny Manziel | 201 | 1,410 | 7.01 | 21 |
2019 | Jalen Hurts | 233 | 1,298 | 5.57 | 20 |
2010 | Colin Kaepernick | 173 | 1,206 | 6.97 | 20 |
2009 | Colin Kaepernick | 161 | 1,183 | 7.35 | 16 |
2008 | Colin Kaepernick | 161 | 1,130 | 7.02 | 17 |
2015 | Deshaun Watson | 207 | 1,105 | 5.34 | 12 |
2019 | Trey Lance | 169 | 1,100 | 6.51 | 14 |
2004 | Vince Young | 167 | 1,079 | 6.46 | 14 |
2005 | Vince Young | 155 | 1,050 | 6.77 | 12 |
2018 | Kyler Murray | 140 | 1,001 | 7.15 | 12 |
2003 | Vince Young | 135 | 998 | 7.39 | 11 |
2007 | Jake Locker | 172 | 986 | 5.73 | 13 |
2015 | Lamar Jackson | 163 | 960 | 5.89 | 11 |
2016 | Jalen Hurts | 191 | 954 | 4.99 | 13 |
2020 | Malik Willis | 141 | 944 | 6.70 | 14 |
2009 | Tim Tebow | 217 | 910 | 4.19 | 14 |
2007 | Tim Tebow | 210 | 895 | 4.26 | 23 |
2021 | Malik Willis | 197 | 878 | 4.46 | 13 |
2017 | Jalen Hurts | 154 | 855 | 5.55 | 8 |
2008 | Robert Griffin | 173 | 843 | 4.87 | 13 |
2014 | Marcus Mariota | 135 | 770 | 5.70 | 15 |
2013 | Johnny Manziel | 144 | 759 | 5.27 | 9 |
2012 | Marcus Mariota | 106 | 752 | 7.09 | 5 |
2013 | Marcus Mariota | 96 | 715 | 7.45 | 9 |
2011 | Robert Griffin | 179 | 699 | 3.91 | 10 |
1999 | Michael Vick | 131 | 682 | 5.21 | 9 |
2008 | Tim Tebow | 176 | 673 | 3.82 | 12 |
2014 | Carson Wentz | 138 | 642 | 4.65 | 6 |
2010 | Robert Griffin | 149 | 635 | 4.26 | 8 |
2004 | Alex Smith | 135 | 631 | 4.67 | 10 |
2016 | Deshaun Watson | 165 | 629 | 3.81 | 9 |
2000 | Michael Vick | 104 | 617 | 5.93 | 8 |
—Ian Allan