Why Colin Kaepernick Is Most Dangerous Dual-Threat QB in NFL

Did Jim Harbaugh make the right move, or what?

Since Harbaugh inserted Colin Kaepernick as the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback over Alex Smith, Kaep has proven to be the most dangerous dual-threat QB in the NFL this season.

Kaepernick's magic started in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears, when he completed nearly 70 percent of his passes while throwing two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

From that time to the end of the regular season, the 49ers' mobile QB threw for 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions, highlighted by a four-touchdown campaign against the New England Patriots in Week 15.

What's been more impressive are his rushing yards, which amounted to 415 this season, to go with five TDs.

He certainly showed what he could do with his legs against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round, scrambling for 181 yards and two touchdowns, which broke Michael Vick's previous record for most rushing yards by a QB in a postseason game.

When analyzing how Kaepernick stacked up against his peers, it's important to remember that he started a mere seven games for the Niners during the regular season while the other four men in this table started at least 15 games.

Player	Comp. Pct.	Pass Yards	Pass TDs	Int.	Passer Rating	Rush Yards	Rush TD
Colin Kaepernick	62.4	1,814	10	3	98.3	415	5
Russell Wilson	64.1	3,118	26	10	100.0	489	4
Andrew Luck	54.1	4,374	23	18	76.5	255	5
Robert Griffin III	65.6	3,200	20	5	102.4	815	7
Cam Newton	60.0	3,869	19	12	84.5	741	8

After looking at Kaep compared to these other mobile QBs, it's clear to see that with another nine starts under center, he'd have topped, or at least come close to surpassing RGIII's terrific numbers.

What makes Kaepernick so dangerous is not only his ability to turn a negative play into a positive, but also the difficulty it takes to tackle him because of his strength and speed.

At 6'5" and 233 pounds, Kaepernick uses his length to his advantage to escape pass-rushers and throw on the move, as he's one of the best passers while moving outside the pocket.

Whereas someone like RGIII has already shown to be less durable and more prone to injury, Kaepernick has shown that he can take big hits and still be an effective passer and rusher.

Next season will undoubtedly be a telling sign as to whether the 49ers' QB is the real deal, assuming he's the full-time starter from opening day.

After seeing what he did during the regular season and how he handled the Packers in the playoffs, it's hard to argue with Kaepernick being the most dangerous dual-threat QB in the NFL.

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