2021 Best Classes: Offensive Backfield

February 3, 2021 CFB Saturdays Staff

With signing day finally upon us we look at the best classes in the country by position group. We have lumped the offensive backfield together as a group as most teams only recruit one quarterback and at the most two running backs. For the purposes of this article we will use the 247Sports Composite rankings because they factor in all of the major rankings services. Here are the teams that brought in the most talent in the offensive backfield:

Ohio State

A year after they added two quarterbacks, Ohio State added another highly ranked player at the position. Kyle McCord is an exciting talent who should fit well in Ryan Day’s passing attack. He ranks as the sixth best quarterback in the class and is a five star in the composite rankings. McCord is a pocket passer but has good pocket presence and excellent arm talent. He will add his name to the list of talented young quarterbacks vying to replace Justin Fields at Ohio State.

McCord is joined in the backfield by two explosive backs, TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor. Henderson is the top ranked running back in the class and has big play ability and the size to run between the tackles. Pryor is an all around weapon out of the backfield who is an explosive runner but also can be dangerous as a receiver. The duo has a diverse set of skills that will give the Buckeyes plenty of options when attacking opposing defenses. Ohio State was not able to add two running backs in the 2020 class but made up for it with an excellent pair in 2021.

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Michigan

The Wolverine’s needed to upgrade the talent on the offensive side of the ball in the 2021 class. JJ McCarthy is a talented passer that will aim to improve the quarterback play in Ann Arbor quickly. He is the fourth ranked quarterback in the composite rankings and a five star recruit. McCarthy starred at IMG Academy this past season where he played with a talented roster that should help him transition to the college game. While McCarthy provides hope at the quarterback position, Michigan found a gem nearby at running back as well.

Donovan Edwards is a local prospect who had a national offer list. He waited until December to make his choice but decided to stay close to home and play for Michigan. Edwards is the fourth ranked running back in the country, showing good speed and power in his high school highlights. He will add much needed talent to a running back room that did not have a single player average 65 yards per game in 2020. Michigan has not had a running back drafted in the past decade and Edwards will hope to reverse that trend once his time at Michigan is done.

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Georgia

The Bulldogs have been a regular near the top of the recruiting rankings since Kirby Smart arrived. The 2021 class is no different and the talent in the offensive backfield is a big part of Georgia’s class. At quarterback, Georgia was able to convince Brock Vandagriff to back off an early pledge to Oklahoma and instead play for the home state school. Vandagriff is the third ranked quarterback in the class and is an athletic prospect who shows a lot of play-making ability. He will add talent to a quarterback room that has been upgraded by JT Daniels’ arrival this season.

Georgia has a strong tradition of developing running backs and has reaped the benefits of that on the recruiting trail. In the 2021 class they added Lovasea Carroll who played at IMG Academy this past year. Carrol is the eighth ranked running back in the class and will add to a talented running back room in Athens. He has a good blend of balance, power and burst that will make him an effective runner at the next level. Carroll and Vandagriff should be a dangerous pair in the backfield for the Bulldogs.

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Oregon

Mario Cristobal has won back to back Pac 12 Championships and continues to bring in top talent for the Ducks. In the 2021 class, Oregon added Ty Thompson at quarterback. He is the sixth ranked quarterback in the class and has an impressive skill set. Thompson has continued to develop well over his career and continues to harness his physical skills and improve on the field. Thompson has a very high ceiling and if he continues to progress could be a first round draft pick in a few years.

The Ducks have added a pair of talented backs to accompany Thompson in the backfield. Seven McGee and Byron Cardwell are the ninth and eleventh ranked running backs in the class and compliment each other well. McGee is a speedy back who is a bit on the smaller side but is a home-run threat at any time. Cardwell is not a big back but is big enough to be effective between the tackles and has the speed and quickness to be effective on the edge as well. Oregon has added a trio of players that should power their offense for years to come.

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Alabama

The Crimson Tide recruit better than anyone in the country. A year after landing the top quarterback recruit in the country they landed another talented dual threat quarterback by flipping Jalen Milroe from Texas. Milroe is the 11th ranked quarterback in the class and is a true dual threat quarterback. He has the ability to beat defenses from the pocket, but is lethal on the run. His run/pass ability will be difficult to defend with the talent surrounding him at Alabama.

To play alongside Milroe, Alabama was able to secure a commitment from Camar Wheaton. The explosive runner is the third ranked running back in the class and will bring speed and big play potential to the position. Wheaton has game-breaking speed and can score from anywhere on the field. He is a mismatch in coverage and he and Milroe will be difficult to defend on option plays as well. The athletic ability of both players will give defensive coordinators in the SEC headaches the next few years.