Oregon Football: Top 3 breakout candidates for Ducks in 2021

It’s hard not to be bullish about Oregon football this season. Head coach Mario Cristobal has taken an SEC approach to recruiting and the Ducks are one of the few teams west of the Mississippi that can compete for top recruits nationally.

Cristobal and his staff have built the Ducks from the inside out. Both the offensive and defensive lines are arguably the best in the Pac-12 and the country’s best combination. When you are that good up front, it covers a lot of deficiencies on the back end.

Fortunately for the Ducks, there are very few holes behind the trenches. Led by Noah Sewell and Justin Flowe, the linebacking corps is among the best four in college football. Even with the loss of Demmondore Lenior and Jevon Holland, the secondary returns a solid group of veterans.

Anthony Brown is a solid, steady veteran quarterback who put Tyler Shough in the transfer portal. Behind the Boston College transfer is a veteran running back, CJ Verdell, one of the country’s top 10 rushers.

Not only does Oregon expect to contend for the Pac-12, but they also expect to contend for the College Football Playoff.

If these three Oregon football players have breakout seasons, the Ducks could get there.