Best college football quarterback born in every state

Arkansas: Ryan Mallett – Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas has produced many college football players. As far as quarterbacks are concerned, older fans may consider Clarence McHan the best Arkansas-born gunslinger. However, despite his impressive 1953 season, when he finished ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting, McHan isn’t the best from the Natural State. That would be current Baltimore Raven, Ryan Mallett.

Mallett was born in Batesville, Arkansas and raised in Texarkana, Texas. As a high school senior in 2006, he was ranked the second-best quarterback and fourth-best player in the nation by Rivals.com. He chose to play for Michigan, but that was only the beginning of his interesting collegiate journey.

After Mallet’s first season in Michigan, head coach Lloyd Carr retired and was replaced by Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez chose to overhaul Michigan’s offense and implemented a scheme that didn’t play to Mallett’s strengths. Mallett decided to make the move back to his home state and spent the 2008 season ineligible to play due to NCAA transfer rules.

Ryan was ultimately very successful during his two seasons in Fayetteville. He passed for at least 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns in both seasons. In 2009, he led the Razorbacks to an 8-5 record and a 2010 Liberty Bowl victory. He was also named to the All-SEC second team. He had similar success in 2010 when he was once again voted to the All-SEC second team and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting.

At age 28, Mallett still has a few years left in his professional career. He’s had mixed results in the NFL so far, but it’s not too late for him to have a solid career. Regardless of how critics feel about how he’s played as a pro, it’s hard to deny his place as the best college quarterback born in Arkansas.