Five Oregon offensive breakout candidates for 2022

There are plenty of question marks surrounding Oregon’s offensive two-deep and how exactly it will take shape in 2022.

Of course, with that, there is also plenty of potential.

The Ducks are in the process of replacing their 2021 starting quarterback, their two top running backs, and four of their top five rotation receivers. But the cupboard is stocked with talented options at all three positions, and Oregon is working with an excellent foundation as it set to return what could be one of the best offensive lines in the nation.

In the coming months, it will be intriguing to watch a few key position battles unfold. For now, here are five Oregon offensive players who could be set for breakout campaigns next fall.

Byron Cardwell

Once Byron Cardwell was given consistent playing time last season, it was immediately apparent that the true freshman running back is a really special player.

Cardwell stepped into Oregon’s running back rotation in Week 5 after CJ Verdell’s season-ending injury but didn’t truly burst onto the scene until Oregon’s Week 8 win over Colorado two weeks later.

On just seven carries, he ran for 127 yards and a touchdown against the Buffs. A week later against Washington, he tallied 55 yards on 16 carries. His true coming-out party, though, came in Week 10, when he tore through the Washington State defense for 98 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

In a game in which the Ducks badly needed a shot in the arm offensively, Cardwell ran wild and was named the Pac-12 freshman of the week.

Whether Oregon elects to bring in a veteran running back via the transfer portal or not, he should be very much in the mix for the Ducks’ starting job in 2022.

For a program that has a rich history of running back talent, Cardwell is one of the more exciting ball carriers to come through Eugene in quite some time. He could be poised for a big, big season.

Seven McGee

As a true freshman, Seven McGee looked electric in a cameo role. Now, it’s up to Oregon’s coaching staff to find the best way to make use of his immense talents on a more consistent basis.

McGee could potentially contribute at running back, slot receiver, and punt returner in 2022. Heck, why not all three?

Much like Cardwell, reps were hard to come by for McGee in the early portion of last season. But he contributed against UCLA and Colorado and earned a greater role in the offense later in the season after the departure of Mycah Pittman and injuries to Johnny Johnson III and Jaylon Redd.

For a few hours in December, McGee appeared set to leave Oregon after he entered his name in the transfer portal. But later that evening, he reversed course and said that Dan Lanning played a large role in convincing him to continue his career in Eugene.

Because of that, it’s easy to believe that Lanning has outlined a plan to make McGee a consistent contributor in the Ducks’ offense.

Dawson Jaramillo

Oregon is set to return five experienced, entrenched starters along its offensive line. It also has a nice mix of talented young prospects who could have bright futures.

Because Dawson Jaramillo does not necessarily fall into either of those categories, he often flies under the radar. But Jaramillo was a key contributor for the Ducks in 2021 and will be again in 2022.

Last season, Jaramillo played 329 offensive snaps for the Ducks and filled in all over the place along an offensive line that was constantly chopped and changed. He has been with the program since 2018 and can play all over the place.

Those types of players are always valuable, and with George Moore having exhausted his eligibility, Jaramillo could be poised to become a “sixth-man” of sorts who fills in wherever he is needed along the offensive front.

Jackson Powers-Johnson

If Jaramillo does not carve out a larger role with the Ducks next season, it may be because Jackson Powers-Johnson is simply too talented to keep off the field.

In a 2021 class that was stocked with blue-chip talent, Powers-Johnson turned in one of the brightest true-freshman seasons of any Oregon player last fall.

He was limited by an ankle injury midway through the year, but Powers-Johnson played 126 snaps along the offensive line and flashed incredible ability as a pass-blocker.

Pro Football Focus issued him a pass-blocking grade of 85.9 and an overall grade of 70.1. Only T.J. Bass and Ryan Walk earned better grades among Oregon offensive linemen who played 100 or more snaps.

In a perfect world, Powers-Johnson will push for a starting job next fall and establish himself as the cornerstone of Oregon’s offensive front for the next several seasons.

Isaiah Brevard

Troy Franklin and Dont’e Thornton would have both been easy picks here. They are immensely talented players who will almost certainly earn starting spots for the Ducks next season.

But at the moment, the depth behind them is a bit worrying. There is a very real possibility Oregon brings in a veteran receiver via the transfer portal. But even still, the Ducks will need some unproven players to step up and provide depth.

Isaiah Brevard is as good a candidate as anybody. He took a backseat to Franklin and Thornton last year and played in just two games, but there’s every reason to believe he can be a very good Pac-12 player.

In 247Sports’ ranking of Oregon’s top all-time recruits, Brevard sits at No. 73. That’s higher than three of the four other players mentioned in this article, and higher than Kris Hutson and Jaylon Redd, both of whom started for the Ducks for much of last season.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound former 4-star signee could be the breakout star of Oregon’s receiver room in 2022 and provide another reliable target for whoever wins the starting quarterback job.