While quarterbacks are very dangerous when throwing the football, they can also be very dangerous for opposing defenses when running with it. It is time to dive in and analyze the most prolific rushing quarterbacks in the Power Four conferences.
The Best Rushing Quarterbacks in Each Power 4 Conference for 2025
As written by College Sports Network, each of the Power Four conferences has some very dynamic runners at the quarterback position.
Starting with the SEC, it is loaded with running signal-callers.
Missouri’s Beau Pribula (6.4 yards per rushing attempt in 2024), Arkansas’s Taylen Green (602 rushing yards in 2024), Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia (ninth in the FBS in rushing in 2024), Oklahoma’s John Mateer (eighth in FBS in rushing in 2024), and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers have all shown off their running skills in recent years (674 rushing yards in 2024).
Next up, Nico Iamaleava, who has joined UCLA after spending the first part of his college career at Tennessee, is looking to take the conference by storm.
He rushed for 358 yards and averaged 3.91 after contact for the Volunteers in 2025.
The Big 12 is the next conference with plenty of rushing talent at the quarterback position.
Cincinnati’s Brendan Sornsby (447 rush. yards in 2024), Colorado’s Kaidon Salter (1.56 EPA rush. yards per game in 2024), Iowa State’s Rocco Becht (78.3% of third-down conversions came from runs), Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt (averaged 3.13 yards before contact in 2024), and Utah’s Devon Dampier (6.03 rush. ERA per game) are all there.
Finally, the ACC also has some dangerous running quarterbacks.
North Carolina’s Gio Lopez (463 rushing yards on 83 attempts in 2024), SMU’s Kevin Jennings (3.9 yards per rush in 2024), and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King (rushed for 587 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024) are all tough to stop with the ball in their hands.
Here are the quarterbacks who led their respective Power Four conferences in rushing in 2024:
ACC: Haynes King, Georgia Tech
King led all ACC quarterbacks in rushing in 2024 with that aforementioned mark of 587 yards.
He also ran in those aforementioned 11 touchdowns.
Without his legs, the Yellowjackets likely wouldn’t have made it to a bowl game last season.
Big Ten: Drew Allar, Penn State
While Nico Iamaleava is joining the Big Ten and had the most rushing yards of any Big Ten quarterback a season ago, Allar had the most rushing yards of any actual Big Ten quarterback (302 rushing yards).
He also ran in six touchdowns.
The rushing attack is always a big part of James Franklin’s game plan at Penn State, and Allar’s legs are very helpful in that realm.
Big 12: Avery Johnson, Kansas State
Avery Johnson was a star for the Wildcats in his sophomore season. He poured in 607 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground for the purple and white. Look for him to be key to the title hopes of Wildcat fans everywhere in 2025.
KEEP READING: CFB Analyst Greg McElroy Leaves Arch Manning, Nico Iamaleava off Top 10 Quarterbacks List
SEC: Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
The Commodores had a resurgent season in 2024 thanks to the play of Pavia under center. He averaged 4.1 yards per rush and ran for an SEC-leading 800 yards, along with eight touchdowns. If he does exactly that in 2025, Vanderbilt could be a dark horse in the SEC this upcoming season.
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