Being an elusive quarterback can mean a lot of things. It could be avoiding sacks in the pocket, making tacklers miss in the open field or turning a broken play into an explosive gain with his legs. It's not just about raw speed, it's about instinct, balance and the ability to create something out of nothing when a play breaks down.
So who are the most elusive quarterbacks in college football ahead of the 2026 season?
This isn't simply a list of the best rushing quarterbacks. It's about finding the right balance between being dangerous with your legs and difficult to bring down. To identify that group, we looked at five key metrics: sack avoidance rate, tackles avoided per rush, yards after contact per rush, explosive rush rate and yards per scramble. Together, they paint a picture of who not only escapes pressure but also makes defenses pay once they do.
The pool of consideration was limited to the 67 Power Four quarterbacks with at least 100 career dropbacks and 50 career rushes at the FBS level entering the 2026 season.
So without further ado, here is a list of the 10 most elusive quarterbacks in college football.
1. Malik Washington, Maryland
Maryland may have found a special quarterback in Malik Washington. While many freshmen need time to adjust to the speed of Power Four defenses, Washington looked comfortable from the start, consistently finding ways to escape pressure and extend plays.
He finished last season with a 93.8% sack avoidance rate, the second-best mark among the qualified quarterbacks in this study, and ranked among the top five in four of the five elusiveness metrics measured.
Washington's arm remains his greatest weapon, but his ability to hurt defenses with his legs is what makes him so difficult to defend. He leads this group in yards after contact per rush (5.7) and ranks fifth in explosive rush rate (16.4%), while averaging 9.5 yards on scrambles alone.
The wins weren't there last season, but Maryland found something to build around in a quarterback who can create plays when things break down.
2. Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
If you haven't heard the name Kamario Taylor yet, you probably will soon. Mississippi State slowly worked the true freshman into the offense last season before handing him the starting job for the final two games, giving the Bulldogs a glimpse of one of the most elusive quarterbacks in the country entering 2026.
Taylor narrowly meets the criteria for this exercise with just 106 career dropbacks, but his debut season was too impressive to ignore ahead of his first year as a full-time starter. He leads this group in tackles avoided per rush (0.38), showing an ability to consistently create yards when defenses got him in space.
The athleticism is no surprise. Taylor was named to 247Sports' 2025 Freaks List as one of the most accomplished rushing quarterbacks in his class, ranking No. 8 at the position. But his scrambling ability wasn't just a product of his natural talent, it was often a necessity.
Taylor faced pressure on 46.2% of his dropbacks last season, the second-highest rate among FBS quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks, and scrambled on 18.9% of those plays. When he escaped, he turned those opportunities into explosive gains, averaging 11.9 yards per scramble. Despite constantly operating under duress in his limited action, he still posted an 83.7% sack avoidance rate, ranking among the top half of this group.
Mississippi State hopes that a rebuilt offensive line (featuring four new starters) will give Taylor a cleaner pocket in 2026. But after showing the ability to create under pressure and on designed runs, the Bulldogs know they have a quarterback capable of making defenses pay.
3. Sam Leavitt, LSU
Sam Leavitt has a bit of that it factor that doesn't always show up in stats. When a play breaks down and things get chaotic, that is often when the former Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year is at his best. He is a natural fit for Lane Kiffin's offense at LSU, and there's a reason why Leavitt is among the highest-paid players in college football.
Leavitt's sack avoidance rate (82.6%) is closer to the middle of the pack, but when he does get free, he is one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the country. He averages 9.4 yards per scramble, the sixth-best mark among the quarterbacks in this study, while ranking fourth in tackles avoided per rush (0.30), sixth in yards after contact per rush (4.3) and seventh in explosive rush rate (15.8%).
Mobile quarterbacks naturally expose themselves to more hits, and Leavitt's 2025 season ended after seven games because of a foot injury that required surgery. Kiffin said in June that Leavitt is "pretty much at full strength," giving LSU reason to believe one of college football's most dangerous off-script playmakers will be ready for 2026.
4. Arch Manning, Texas
Peyton and Eli were never known for their elusiveness, but don't let that fool you into thinking Arch Manning is just another statue in the pocket. The youngest Manning quarterback has a different athletic profile than his famous uncles, thanks in part to the influence of his father, Cooper Manning, who was widely considered the most athletic of the three Manning brothers.
Of the 570 FBS quarterbacks since 2018 with at least 50 career rushes and 100 dropbacks, Manning ranks eighth in yards per scramble (11.2) and 12th in explosive rush rate (19.0%). Among the Power Four quarterbacks in this study, he ranks second and third, respectively, in those categories.
Arch's speed might be the most underrated weapon in his game. He reached a top speed of 21.7 mph on his 60-yard touchdown run against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl last season, the fastest mark recorded by a quarterback that season according to Reel Analytics. That breakaway ability was on display earlier in his career, too, when he turned a designed run into a 67-yard touchdown against UTSA in 2024.
5. Devon Dampier, Utah
Few quarterbacks in college football are more dangerous with the ball in their hands. No returning FBS quarterback has more career rushing yards (2,358) or rushing touchdowns (33) than the Utah star, who emerged as one of the most electric dual-threats during his breakout 2024 season at New Mexico.
Dampier followed offensive coordinator Jason Beck to Utah and was named the Big 12's Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2025. His elusiveness shows up both as a runner and in the pocket as a passer. Dampier has been sacked just 16 times on 873 career dropbacks. Among the quarterbacks in this exercise, Dampier ranks third in sack avoidance rate (92.5%).
While much of his ground production comes on designed runs, Dampier remains dangerous when plays break down. He averaged 7.8 yards per scramble, leads this group in yards per rush (6.6) and ranks sixth in explosive rush rate (16.2%), proving his ability to create big plays whenever he finds space.
Dampier will have a new offensive coordinator in 2026 after Jason Beck followed longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham to Michigan, but that change shouldn't diminish what makes him one of the most elusive quarterbacks in the country.
6. Will Hammond, Texas Tech
Brendan Sorsby almost certainly would have been on this list had he been available for the 2026 season. Fortunately for Texas Tech, it still has a dynamic option in Will Hammond, but his ceiling will depend on how he bounces back from a season-ending ACL injury last October.
Hammond saw action in eight games and made two starts before the injury, but his limited sample size was enough to reveal one of the most explosive rushing quarterbacks in the country. At the time of his injury, Hammond led all qualified FBS quarterbacks in yards per rush (7.0) and ranked third in yards per scramble (12.7).
Hammond has a run of at least 10 yards in nine of 12 career games played at Texas Tech. So it's no surprise that his explosive rush rate (18.3%) ranks fourth among the qualified quarterbacks in this exercise.
A couple of weeks ago, Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire said Hammond will be ready to go in Week 1, which is a promising update, considering the initial timeline left open the possibility he wouldn't return until Week 3. If he can regain his pre-injury form, Texas Tech has one of the most dangerous playmakers at quarterback in the country.
7. Bryce Underwood, Michigan
Former No. 1 overall recruit Bryce Underwood has often drawn comparisons to Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton because of his rare combination of size and athleticism. The consistency still needs to catch up, but the flashes that made him one of the most coveted quarterback prospects in recent memory were evident during his freshman season.
Underwood's elusiveness showed up most when defenses thought they had him contained. He averaged 0.28 tackles avoided per rush, the 10th-best mark among the qualified quarterbacks in this exercise. He also ranked 14th in both explosive rush rate (13.5%) and yards after contact per rush (3.9).
The next step for Underwood is turning those flashes into consistent production. His erratic performance in Michigan's spring game raised some questions about his long-term development, but more time with new offensive coordinator Jason Beck should help unlock a new level. Beck previously worked with Devon Dampier and now gets the chance to develop a quarterback with a similarly rare athletic profile.
8. Demond Williams Jr., Washington
There's a reason Washington worked so hard to keep Demond Williams Jr. from entering the transfer portal back in January. The Huskies knew they had a talented quarterback and didn't want to let him get away -- even if it was a little awkward.
Williams spent much of last season under duress. Only four of the 67 qualified Power Four quarterbacks in this study were pressured on a higher percentage of their dropbacks than Williams (41.7%). Oftentimes, he was sacked, but he was far from easy to bring down. Williams ranks second in this study in tackles avoided per rush (0.32) and eighth in yards after contact per rush (4.2).
While his elusiveness is a valuable asset, his arm remains his biggest strength. Williams scrambled on the second-highest percentage of dropbacks among the quarterbacks in this study, but Washington would rather not ask him to rely on that ability so often. He enters 2026 with the highest career completion percentage (71.3%) and touchdown rate (7.2%) in this group, making him even more dangerous when he can throw from the pocket instead of running for his life.
9. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
There may not be a more physically imposing quarterback in college football than LaNorris Sellers. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound redshirt junior generated offseason Heisman Trophy buzz last summer, but was far too inconsistent. That doesn't mean his elusiveness was any less impressive.
Rarely does the first defender bring Sellers down. He's essentially a linebacker with the ball in his hands. Among the quarterbacks in this exercise, he ranks third in yards after contact per rush (4.6) and ninth in tackles avoided per rush (0.29).
The challenge for South Carolina's revamped offensive staff will be finding ways to maximize that rare physical ability while helping Sellers become a more consistent passer. The additions of offensive coordinator Kendal Briles and offensive line coach Randy Clements should help create a structure that allows Sellers to use his legs as a weapon rather than a bailout option.
10. Colton Joseph, Wisconsin
Here's a name that wasn't expected to appear on a list of the most elusive quarterbacks in college football. But a closer look at the numbers shows why Wisconsin and several others pursued the former Old Dominion star in the transfer portal.
No qualified Power Four quarterback enters the 2026 season with a higher career explosive rush rate than Colton Joseph (19.3%). Only one player in the entire FBS had more runs of at least 20 yards over the past two seasons than Joseph, who has 26 such carries in his career.
There's a bit of a trade-off with Joseph, who is also top 15 in yards after contact per rush (4.0) and yards per scramble (8.2). He may not consistently make defenders miss at the same rate as some of the quarterbacks ahead of him, but his ability to create explosive plays with his legs separates him from most quarterbacks in the country.
Wisconsin has spent the past few seasons searching for stability at quarterback, with injuries playing a major role in limiting its options. If Joseph can buck that trend and stay healthy, the Badgers may finally have a quarterback capable of providing the explosive element their offense has been missing.
Honorable mention: Byrum Brown (Auburn), Gio Lopez (Wake Forest), Jayden Maiava (USC), Drew Mestemaker (Oklahoma State), Conner Weigman (Houston)
