College Dual-Threat QBs Who Throw It as Well as Their Pro-Style Counterparts

Dual-threat quarterbacks as a whole can get a reputation for being underwhelming passers. Some of them definitely deserve it, especially those who struggle with turnovers or only throw a handful of passes per game as part of an option attack.

But college football has been blessed with plenty of running quarterbacks who are just as deadly to defenses with their arms as they are with their legs. With the growth of uptempo and spread-option offenses across the country, teams want to have the athleticism of a dual-threat signal-caller while retaining the precision of a pocket passer.

Oregon's Marcus Mariota was the perfect example of such as playmaker. The Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall draft pick led the nation in passing efficiency last season and scored 15 touchdowns on the ground. 

Even though Mariota is now in the NFL, college football still has several mobile signal-callers whose arms should not be taken lightly at all. The following list of 10 dual-threat quarterbacks, which includes 2015 Heisman hopefuls, a trio of teammates and some Group of Five stars, all excelled in 2014 with precise passing and huge touchdown counts.

Sound off on who you think is the best of this list and add your own picks for dual-threat quarterbacks who will shine with their passing in 2015 in the comments section below.

Arkansas State's Fredi Knighten

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2014: 269-of-432 (62.3%) for 3,277 yards, 24 TDs and 7 interceptions (141.08 QB rating)

Knighten excelled in his first full season as the leader of Arkansas State's explosive offense. While defenses were concerned about how he could beat them with his legs—he scored 11 rushing touchdowns last season and had a knack for long runs—people have overlooked his work with his arm.

He ranked first in the Sun Belt for passing touchdowns, second for yards, second for efficiency, third for fewest interceptions and fourth in completion percentage. He had four games last season in which he threw for multiple touchdowns while completing more than 70 percent of his passes, including a 403-yard, five-touchdown performance in a shootout GoDaddy Bowl loss to Toledo.

"He spread the ball around beautifully, with seven players getting targeted at least twice per game," SB Nation's Bill Connelly wrote on Knighten's 2014 season. "ASU was able to manipulate defenses enough with the pass to open up running lanes for Knighten, the explosive Michael Gordon and, at times, freshman Johnston White."

Knighten's work through the air and on the ground last season ranked him 12th nationally in total offense and fifth among players who returning for the 2015 season. With another offseason of work under his belt, he should have a monster senior season and be one of the best quarterbacks in the Group of Five conferences.

Clemson's Deshaun Watson

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2014: 93-of-137 (67.9%) for 1,466 yards, 14 TDs and 2 interceptions (188.57 QB rating)

Watson's sample size is smaller than most everyone else on this list because he didn't start the 2014 season as Clemson's No. 1 quarterback and suffered a pair of injuries that kept him out of five games. But what he did last season with his arm was special, especially for a true freshman.

In the four games in which he attempted double-digit passes, Watson threw for 1,240 yards and 10 touchdowns to one interception.

His sparkling 188.57 rating in his eight appearances was seven points higher than Marcus Mariota's. Watson's passing performance against North Carolina was particularly absurd as he completed 75 percent of his passes and found the end zone six times.

Injuries limited his impact running the ball, but he still recorded five touchdowns on the ground in 2014. If Watson can stay healthy for an entire season and bring a similar level of accuracy to the Tigers in 2015, he has all the makings to be the next Heisman-winning quarterback. 

Memphis' Paxton Lynch

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2014: 259-of-413 (62.7%) for 3,031 yards, 22 TDs and 9 interceptions (137.58 QB rating)

Lynch had one of the best seasons for an under-the-radar player last season, adding 13 rushing touchdowns to his steadily improving passing game for Memphis. 

As a passer, he isn't as consistent as some of the stars on this list, but when he was on target last season, it was impressive.

He completed more than 70 percent of his passes in five games, including a contest in which he threw three interceptions. His QB rating took some hits in games against Ole Miss and Tulsa, but he still finished in the top 50 nationally in that category while finishing 32nd in completion percentage.

Now heading into his redshirt junior season, Lynch should continue to get better in the passing game along with his fellow Tigers. At his best, e is a dual-threat offensive machine who can pile up the yards and the points in the AAC.

Mississippi State's Dak Prescott

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2014: 244-of-396 (61.6%) for 3,449 yards, 27 TDs and 11 interceptions (151.72 QB rating)

The Dak Attack is back in Starkville, Mississippi, and Prescott returns as the SEC's best returning quarterback for the 2015 season.

Despite a tough late-season stretch in which he fell out of the Heisman spotlight, Prescott still had the 14th-best quarterback rating in college football last year, beating out other star signal-callers such as Connor Cook, Jameis Winston and Everett Golson. That was a step up from his breakout sophomore campaign, and he could post even better numbers as a senior.

His 41 all-purpose touchdowns were among the highest for any single player in college football last season. Now he has to deliver even more for the Bulldogs in 2015.

"With massive roster turnover on both sides of the ball, even more pressure will be on Prescott's shoulders than last year," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote. "After what we saw from Prescott last year, it seems the Haughton, Louisiana, native can handle it."

North Carolina's Marquise Williams

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2014: 270-of-428 (63.1%) for 3,073 yards, 21 TDs and 9 interceptions (135.37 QB rating)

While North Carolina had an underwhelming season as a whole in 2014, Williams did well as the full-time starter in Chapel Hill. He recorded a passing and rushing touchdown in nine of his 13 games last season and improved his completion percentage from the previous year.

The Tar Heel signal-caller took care of the ball last season, only throwing multiple interceptions in one game—a season-opening rout of FCS school Liberty. His improvement as a passer, combined with his scoring ways in the ground game, made him a strong candidate for ACC Player of the Year honors.

Williams put up his numbers last season while taking a beating from opposing defenses and battling through injuries, according to ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson.

After sitting out the entire spring to recover, he should deliver more damage with an improved offensive line and an experienced cast of playmakers around him in 2015.

Northern Illinois' Drew Hare

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2014: 194-of-326 (59.5%) for 2,322 yards, 18 TDs and 2 interceptions (136.33 QB rating)

Sure, Hare has a steep hill to climb in terms of dual-threat quarterback comparisons at Northern Illinois. He had to follow up the great Jordan Lynch, who ripped apart defenses and created serious Heisman buzz as a #MACtion star.

But Hare's sophomore campaign last year was one to admire in Northern Illinois' run-first offense. He averaged eight or more yards per attempt in six different games last season and rarely made mistakes with his arm. He picked his spots well, as evidenced by his ration of nine touchdowns to one interception in his first season as the starter.

According to Frank Gogola of the Northern Star, Hare said he was working this spring on getting better at throwing on the run—a Lynch specialty—and becoming more accurate with deep balls. That work paid off as he reportedly completed 68 percent of his long passes in spring camp, per Gogola.

After a great first season, expect the Huskies to turn Hare loose in the offense in 2015.

Ohio State's J.T. Barrett, Braxton Miller and Cardale Jones

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2014 (Barrett and Jones): 259-of-406 (63.7%) for 3,694 yards, 41 TDs and 12 interceptions (164.99 QB rating)

Whoever Ohio State puts at quarterback for the 2015 season will have experience at being an accurate, dual-threat playmaker for the Buckeyes' explosive offense.

In his 12 games as a first-time starter last year, Barrett finished second behind Marcus Mariota in efficiency and finished in the top 10 nationally for passing touchdowns and yards per attempt. Then Cardale Jones completed 60.9 percent of his passes to go along with his bruising style of running in the Buckeyes' three postseason victories. 

And don't forget Miller, who had 24 passing touchdowns to just seven interceptions in Ohio State's 2013 season. He already has experience leading the offense for an entire season and scoring touchdowns in a variety of ways.

Each of these three dual-threat quarterbacks brings something different to the table for head coach Urban Meyer, but they all know how to get it done throwing the ball.

TCU's Trevone Boykin

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2014: 301-of-492 (61.2%) for 3,901 yards, 33 TDs and 10 interceptions (145.84 QB rating)

Last but certainly not least, Boykin is the dual-threat quarterback who had the most success throwing the ball in 2014 and will enter 2015 as a strong Heisman favorite. TCU gave him the reins to its brand-new offense last season and let him lead the way to a share of the Big 12 championship and serious College Football Playoff buzz.

"Entering last season, the Horned Frogs' new offense was a big question mark as offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie implemented their scheme," the Dallas Morning News' Ryan Gerbosi wrote. "But in the limited time to learn the system, which was similar to his scheme at West Mesquite [High School], Boykin excelled."

He threw a touchdown pass in every game last season and had at least 200 yards in all but two contests. Consider this: Boykin's worst day passing the ball last season was a 187-yard, three-interception performance. That game would be the Peach Bowl, where he still threw three touchdowns in the Horned Frogs' 42-3 rout of Ole Miss.

Again, those gaudy numbers came in an offense that Boykin and everyone else around him were still learning. Now improved, healthy and experienced, he should wreak havoc on the Big 12 even more in 2015 as he racks up touchdowns with his arm first and his legs second.

All stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.

Justin Ferguson is an on-call college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.