PFF Tabs Malik Cunningham as One of College Football's 'Biggest QB Sleepers'

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When you think of the top quarterbacks currently in college football, guys like Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Caleb Williams typically come to mind. But if you ask Pro Football Focus, Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham is one of three signal callers who are flying under the national radar.

PFF's lead college analyst, Anthony Treash, recently named his three "biggest quarterback sleepers" in FBS, with Cunningham coming in at No. 2 Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa took the top spot, with Purdue's Aidan O'Connell at No. 3.

Treash also ranked the top 50 quarterbacks at the FBS level earlier this month, and listed Cunningham at No. 14. This was good for sixth-best in the ACC, behind Wake Forest's Sam Hartman at No. 5, Virginia Brennan Armstrong at No. 7, Pitt's Kedon Slovis at No. 9, Miami's Tyler Van Dyke at No. 10 and NC State's Devin Leary at No. 12.

"Cunningham is the best quarterback in the country on the ground, as the dynamic athlete leads all returning FBS quarterbacks in 2021 rushing grade (90.3), broken tackles (51) and explosive runs (38)," Treash wrote. "The impact he has as a runner gives him a high floor, and his passing ability is only getting better. Cunningham turned in a career-high 82.7 passing grade in 2021."

The Montgomery, Ala. native completed 62.0 percent of his passes for 2,941 yards and 19 touchdowns to only six interceptions, while also rushing for 1,031 yards and 20 touchdowns. His 20 rushing scores was good for fourth in the nation, and he became the 14th player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards.

The redshirt senior heads into his final year with 10,715 career yards of offense and 100 career offensive touchdowns scored. That puts him within striking distance of Lamar Jackson's career marks of 13,175 yards and 119 touchdowns, both of which are best in Louisville history.

Louisville finished last season with a mark of 6-7 overall and 4-4 in the ACC, including a 31-28 loss in the First Responder Bowl against Air Force. The Cardinals will kick off their 2022 campaign at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 3.

(Photo of Malik Cunningham: Jamie Rhodes - USA TODAY Sports)

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