Lamar Jackson looks like a key player heading into drafts this summer. He’s had some monster seasons, but he dipped last year.
Mobility is a big part of Jackson’s game. He’s run for over 1,000 yards twice, and his elusiveness has also helped to set him up for success as a passer.
But running tends to be for the young guys, and Jackson is now 29 – heading into his ninth season. He’s averaged over 6.3 yards per carry four times, but he was over a yard short of that average last year while finishing with a career-low 349 yards (less than half as much as any of his previous six seasons).
This isn’t surprising, considering the age. Since 2002, 32 quarterbacks have accounting for at least 100 points of production as runners (using 6 for TDs and 1 for every 10 yards), but only two of those guys were under 30 – 31-year-old Cam Newton in 2020, and 30-year-old Michael Vick in 2010.
| QUARTERBACKS WITH 100 POINTS AS RUNNERS | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Age | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Pts |
| 2019 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | 22 | 176 | 1,206 | 6.9 | 7 | 162.6 |
| 2022 | Justin Fields, Chi. | 23 | 160 | 1,143 | 7.1 | 8 | 162.3 |
| 2011 | Cam Newton, Car. | 22 | 126 | 706 | 5.6 | 14 | 154.6 |
| 2022 | Jalen Hurts, Phil. | 24 | 165 | 760 | 4.6 | 13 | 154.0 |
| 2023 | Jalen Hurts, Phil. | 25 | 157 | 605 | 3.9 | 15 | 150.5 |
| 2020 | Kyler Murray, Ari. | 23 | 133 | 819 | 6.2 | 11 | 147.9 |
| 2024 | Jalen Hurts, Phil. | 26 | 150 | 630 | 4.2 | 14 | 147.0 |
| 2020 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | 23 | 159 | 1,005 | 6.3 | 7 | 142.5 |
| 2023 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 27 | 111 | 524 | 4.7 | 15 | 142.4 |
| 2025 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 29 | 112 | 579 | 5.2 | 14 | 141.9 |
| 2021 | Jalen Hurts, Phil. | 23 | 139 | 784 | 5.6 | 10 | 138.4 |
| 2020 | Cam Newton, N.E. | 31 | 137 | 592 | 4.3 | 12 | 131.2 |
| 2002 | Michael Vick, Atl. | 22 | 113 | 777 | 6.9 | 8 | 125.7 |
| 2024 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 28 | 102 | 531 | 5.2 | 12 | 125.1 |
| 2024 | Jayden Daniels, Was. | 24 | 148 | 891 | 6.0 | 6 | 125.1 |
| 2015 | Cam Newton, Car. | 26 | 132 | 636 | 4.8 | 10 | 123.6 |
| 2012 | Robert Griffin, Was. | 22 | 120 | 815 | 6.8 | 7 | 123.5 |
| 2012 | Cam Newton, Car. | 23 | 127 | 741 | 5.8 | 8 | 122.1 |
| 2010 | Michael Vick, Phil. | 30 | 100 | 676 | 6.8 | 9 | 121.6 |
| 2014 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 26 | 118 | 849 | 7.2 | 6 | 120.9 |
| 2002 | Daunte Culpepper, Min. | 25 | 106 | 609 | 5.8 | 10 | 120.9 |
| 2022 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 26 | 124 | 762 | 6.1 | 7 | 118.2 |
| 2006 | Michael Vick, Atl. | 26 | 123 | 1,039 | 8.5 | 2 | 115.9 |
| 2024 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | 27 | 139 | 915 | 6.6 | 4 | 115.5 |
| 2022 | Daniel Jones, NYG | 25 | 120 | 708 | 5.9 | 7 | 112.8 |
| 2021 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 25 | 122 | 763 | 6.3 | 6 | 112.3 |
| 2023 | Lamar Jackson, Balt. | 26 | 148 | 821 | 5.6 | 5 | 112.1 |
| 2017 | Cam Newton, Car. | 28 | 139 | 754 | 5.4 | 6 | 111.4 |
| 2018 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 22 | 89 | 631 | 7.1 | 8 | 111.1 |
| 2004 | Michael Vick, Atl. | 24 | 120 | 902 | 7.5 | 3 | 108.2 |
| 2019 | Josh Allen, Buff. | 23 | 109 | 510 | 4.7 | 9 | 105.0 |
| 2025 | Jaxson Dart, NYG | 22 | 86 | 487 | 5.7 | 9 | 102.7 |
| 2011 | Tim Tebow, Den. | 24 | 122 | 660 | 5.4 | 6 | 102.0 |
While it’s a huge edge to get that kind of production from a quarterback, typically they tend to need to transition in their 30s to relying more on their arm, and that’s not easy to do.
If we look at those same quarterbacks after they hit 30, there are only three seasons with top-10 numbers. Russell Wilson ranked 5th and 6th among quarterbacks as a 31- and 32-year-old, while Michael Vick was the No. 5 quarterback as a 30-year-old in 2010. It’s not easy to change one’s playing style, apparently.
| RUNNING QUARTERBACKS IN THEIR 30s | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Age | St | Pass | TDP | Int | Run | TDR | PPR | Rk |
| 2019 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 31 | 16 | 4,110 | 31 | 5 | 342 | 3 | 383.7 | 5 |
| 2010 | Michael Vick, Phil. | 30 | 12 | 3,018 | 21 | 6 | 676 | 9 | 358.5 | 5 |
| 2020 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 32 | 16 | 4,212 | 40 | 13 | 513 | 2 | 435.9 | 6 |
| 2011 | Michael Vick, Phil. | 31 | 13 | 3,303 | 18 | 14 | 589 | 1 | 302.1 | 12 |
| 2018 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 30 | 16 | 3,448 | 35 | 7 | 376 | 0 | 351.9 | 12 |
| 2023 | Russell Wilson, Den. | 35 | 15 | 3,070 | 26 | 8 | 341 | 3 | 313.6 | 14 |
| 2022 | Russell Wilson, Den. | 34 | 15 | 3,524 | 16 | 11 | 277 | 3 | 287.0 | 14 |
| 2020 | Cam Newton, N.E. | 31 | 15 | 2,657 | 8 | 10 | 592 | 12 | 309.6 | 17 |
| 2021 | Russell Wilson, Sea. | 33 | 14 | 3,113 | 25 | 6 | 183 | 2 | 288.0 | 20 |
| 2024 | Russell Wilson, Pitt. | 36 | 11 | 2,482 | 16 | 5 | 155 | 2 | 215.6 | 24 |
| 2012 | Michael Vick, Phil. | 32 | 10 | 2,362 | 12 | 10 | 332 | 1 | 205.3 | 26 |
| 2007 | Daunte Culpepper, Oak. | 30 | 6 | 1,331 | 5 | 5 | 40 | 3 | 108.6 | 33 |
| 2021 | Cam Newton, Car. | 32 | 5 | 684 | 4 | 5 | 230 | 5 | 105.2 | 37 |
| 2013 | Michael Vick, Phil. | 33 | 6 | 1,215 | 5 | 3 | 306 | 2 | 123.2 | 38 |
| 2008 | Daunte Culpepper, Det. | 31 | 5 | 786 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 1 | 63.8 | 38 |
| 2009 | Daunte Culpepper, Det. | 32 | 5 | 945 | 3 | 6 | 91 | 0 | 68.4 | 39 |
| 2014 | Michael Vick, NYJ | 34 | 3 | 604 | 3 | 2 | 153 | 0 | 57.5 | 42 |
| 2025 | Russell Wilson, NYG | 37 | 3 | 831 | 3 | 3 | 106 | 0 | 64.2 | 44 |
| 2015 | Michael Vick, Pitt. | 35 | 3 | 371 | 2 | 1 | 99 | 0 | 36.5 | 49 |
| 2019 | Cam Newton, Car. | 30 | 2 | 572 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 | 28.4 | 50 |
| 2020 | Robert Griffin, Balt. | 30 | 1 | 42 | 0 | 2 | 69 | 0 | 9.0 | 66 |
There are other factors to consider, of course. With Robert Griffin and Daunte Culpepper, those guys suffered career-altering injuries before turning 30. And a bunch of quarterbacks on that list of 32 runners haven’t yet played as 30-year-olds, including Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray and Jayden Daniels.
And Jackson has shown some ability to reach the elite level as a passer. He threw 41 touchdowns versus only 4 interceptions as recently as 2024. He really should have won the MVP that year, but voters apparently didn’t want him winning a third such award, given that he hasn’t yet done much in the postseason.
The quarterback position is well-stocked this year, with lot of parity in the top dozen. There’s not a guy who looks like a safe choice to outperform everyone. Josh Allen isn’t as productive now as he’s been in the past, and he’s 30 now. Joe Burrow has had issues with staying healthy. And Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams aren’t as proven. So I think we’re looking at a fairly mushy top tier of quarterbacks.
Jackson in my eyes definitely belongs in that tier. Not a player I’m targeting, but if he falls to a certain point, he can’t be left sitting there. If he starts playing more like he did in 2024, he’ll be dramatically outperforming his draft position.
—Ian Allan
