College Football Recruiting 2012: Top Dual-Threat QB Prospects in the Country

In recent recruiting classes, QB prospects have been split into two separate categories being "pro-style", which is the classic drop back pocket passer, and then "dual threat", which is the more athletic QB that can throw and run.

Some of the top players in recruiting classes over the past few years have been dual threat types, such as Cam Newton, Terrelle Pryor and Braxton Miller. This 2012 class is still being sorted out, but I already see a good group of dual threat QBs that are primed to give college defensive coordinators fits.

Here are the top dual threat QB prospects in the country for the 2012 recruiting class.

7. Cedric Dozier

Dozier may lack the height to consistently see over the rush and create his own throwing lanes, but when you throw for 1,100 yards and almost run for another 1,000, that means you can flat out play.

5'11", 175 pounds, Dozier is an excellent athlete that can get away from the grasps of the rush and make plays. Get him out on the edges, move his pocket, and he can beat a defense with his arm all night long.

He can also be used on designed runs, run the option and also be murder in the redzone on QB draws. He's one of the top players in the Pacific Northwest and has an offer from Washington already.

Dozier is also gaining serious interest from Oregon and Washington State.

6. Tyler Cameron

Cameron has classic pocket passer size at 6'3", 210 pounds and is a lefty from the pocket. But don't be fooled; he can use his legs to get upfield and scramble to make plays.

He battled nagging injuries last season, but when he was on the field, he impresses college coaches enough to land several early offers from Louisville, Illinois, Rutgers, South Florida, Boston College and Marshall.

Cameron is poised to get healthy going into his senior year and will do that by hitting the camps and combine circuit hard to display his arm and athleticism.

5. Justin Thomas

Thomas is a 5'11", 180 pound speedster that might be left at QB in college just to ensure he touches the ball every play. He is known for his speed, and his tape shows him blowing by defenders on a regular basis.

Yet Thomas has a solid arm and gets the ball playmakers on the perimeter. He's at his best when he's allowed to create and let his instincts take over, making plays with his arm and legs.

Thomas is dangerous on rollouts, edge throws, make boots and designed runs to display his athleticism. He shows good agility and quickness with the ball in his hands.

Florida, Auburn, LSU, Miami and Kentucky all offered Thomas, yet he has already chosen to stay home and play for Alabama.

4. Anthony Alford

Usually when people see that a QB is a dual threat guy they just assume that he's a running QB who would rather run than throw. Yet Alford is a very balanced signal caller, throwing and rushing for over 1,200 yards last year in his Mississippi high school's offense.

6'1", 205 pounds, he has solid size to see downfield over the rush, adjust his arm slot to get the ball through lanes and solid field vision to make precise reads. Anthony climbs to his pot well out of his drop and can move around in the pocket to buy time well.

When asked to run, he turns into another running back on the field. Anthony has great open field vision, knows how to set up blocks, and has great elusiveness to make defenders miss.

A noted top baseball talent and the Gatorade Mississippi State Player of the Year, he is weighing offers form LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss.

3. Jeff Lindquist

Lindquist threw for nearly 2,000 yards and rushed for over 1,000 as a junior in Washington. Some say he will be the best player in the state in the 2012 class.

6'3", 225 pounds, Lindquist has the size to stay in the pocket and pick a defense apart with his arm strength, accuracy and anticipation. Yet when traffic gets heavy, he can escape with his legs and nimble feet and gain yards on the run.

He can make throws on the run to right or left and still make defenders miss in the open field. He is big and tough to bring down, which is why it usually takes multiple defenders to bring him down when he carries the ball as a runner.

Washington and Washington State have offered with UCLA, Alabama, Stanford, LSU and Oregon all interested as well. 

2. Matt Davis

Davis missed his junior season with a torn ACL, but he dominated as a sophomore in the Houston high school scene, tossing for 1,400 yards and running for another 1,300 yards with his legs.

6'2", 200 pounds, he has he athleticism to be a perfect fit in a spread offense to accent both his ability to throw and run. Davis runs a 4.4 40 and has a 4.1 shuttle time.

He's a terror with the ball and makes play after play when healthy. Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and USC are the only big names that have not offered Davis, but likely will all be offering soon. Practically every other school in the country has told Davis he is welcome on their campus.

1. Jameis Winston

6'4", 200 pounds, Winston has a frame that could add more weight but still keep his speed, quickness and athleticism. He really works on refining his mechanics as a passer from the pocket, but always keeps his running ability in his back pocket to bail him out of heavy traffic in the pocket.

His high school ran the Wing-T his sophomore year, but switched to the spread when he was junior and saw him blossom into a national recruit.

Winston threw for over 2,300 yards and 17 scores using a cannon arm. He doesn't look to run every chance he gets, but when he does, it's a marvel to see evidenced by his nearly 900 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground as a junior.

Winston is also a great baseball prospect that has schools like Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, Miami, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, Stanford, Baylor, South Carolina, Nebraska, Ole Miss and Mississippi State extending offers to him.