If you watch college football, it’s possible that six weeks ago, you had no idea who Lamar Jackson was. You do now. The God, the next Michael Vick, the best player in the country, call him what you want, but Lamar Jackson is here to stay. When he hasn’t been calling for the release of rapper Kodak Black from prison, he’s been lighting up defenses and posting ridiculous stat lines. Just how good are his numbers? Here are five to give you an idea.
Jackson leads the country in rushing touchdowns:
Quarterbacks aren’t supposed to lead the nation in rushing TDs. It just doesn’t happen. Vince Young never did it. Neither did Michael Vick. In fact, Jackson’s 14 rushing TDs this season matches any number ever put up by Young or Vick in a season, and Jackson has done it in five games. Despite already having their bye week, Jackson has rushed for four more TDs than any other player in the nation, giving him a real shot at finishing the season at the top of the rushing TD charts.
Jackson’s points per game beat out Wisconsin’s:
Perhaps you’re looking forward to Saturday’s primetime matchup between #2 Ohio State and #8 Wisconsin. Well before game time is upon us, lets compare Lamar Jackson to Wisconsin. Jackson, by himself, has averaged 33.6 points per game, based solely off his TDs and not the extra points. Wisconsin as a whole averages 26 points per game. The scary part? Wisconsin is an elite team, with a dominating run game. They’re great, but Jackson is better.
Jackson racked up 325 total yards… in his worst performance of the year:
Coming off of their bye week, Jackson and Louisville were sluggish. They weren’t able to have nearly as much success as usual in a 24-14 win over Duke. Jackson’s worst game of the season showed us that… well it showed us just how good he is. Jackson still managed to hit triple digit yardage both on the ground and through the air, amassing a total of 325 yards and two TD’s. That’s a solid game for most QBs, but for Jackson, it’s a letdown.
Beware the decline?:
It wouldn’t be fair of us college football fans to expect Jackson to continue to score eight TDs a game, but admit it. We were all hoping to see it. The sports fans fascination with athletic dominance is one major reason we’re drawn to watch. Now I’m not going to go as far as to say that Lamar Jackson is a fluke. I’ve watched the man enough to see that he is beyond legit. However, over his last three games, he’s seen a decline in both yardage and TDs each week. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on, especially as Louisville goes into conference play head on. Regardless, Jackson is a stud, and if you haven’t had a chance to see him play, and call yourself a football fan, you better get on it.
Jackson is still just a sophomore:
Jackson’s rapid ascension to college football super-stardom has led to numerous NFL comparisons and questions about his NFL draft stock. The reality is, Jackson is still at least one more year away from becoming eligible for the NFL draft. NFL scouts will cherish this fact, as a few wonder if he’ll be a candidate for a position change once in the NFL (see Terrelle Pryor, Braxton Miller). Until then, Jackson will stick to playing QB and shredding collegiate defenses each weekend.