Oregon Football: What will Byron Cardwell’s role be in 2021?

Byron Cardwell was one of the more exciting additions in Oregon football’s 2021 class and although he didn’t enroll early like Seven McGee, he has made quite an impression in fall camp thus far.

With Sean Dollars overcoming a knee injury, Cardwell may have secured a prominent role in the backfield for years to come. He’s not going to start over CJ Verdell or Travis Dye, but he’s going to carve out a nice workload in the backfield in 2021, assuming Dollars takes some time to adjust.

The Ducks have one of the best one-two punches in the country in Dye and Verdell and Dollars might just be the best running back in waiting in the conference, but Cardwell is impressive.

In fact, in the second scrimmage of fall camp, Cardwell scored two touchdowns and he was recently named the top offensive performer of the Ducks’ 12th practice.

This is a good sign for a kid who just got to campus this summer. It just goes to show that he’s adjusting well to the playbook and he fits in well with the offense.

So what will his role be in 2021?

Predicting Cardwell’s role with Oregon football in 2021

I think Verdell is going to get a bulk of the carries this season with Dye playing a complementary role and primarily being used in passing situations.

If Dollars comes back fully healthy, he’ll be the third option, but if he’s still not 100 percent, I think Cardwell can be RB3. McGee is a talented back, but Cardwell has a frame built for college football in year one and I think he’s going to rush for a couple hundred yards in 2021 but the 2022 season will be his breakout year.

Long story short, Oregon is loaded in the backfield for years to come.