Bay Area Sports: Ranking the Top 30 Players

November 14, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) scores a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

#30 – Christian McCaffrey, Stanford Cardinal football

Christian McCaffrey has gone from a relative unknown in Bay Area Sports to a legitimate Heisman contender this season. The son of former NFL and Stanford great Ed McCaffrey, the younger McCaffrey has carved his niche as one of the most versatile players in the nation this year.

In his sophomore year, McCaffrey leads the nation in all-purpose yards, with 2,807 yards (over 250 per game). He has emerged as the premier back for Stanford in a strong stable of running backs, leading the team with 1,546 yards on the ground, along with seven touchdowns. He’s an excellent pass catcher and is always a threat in the return game. Versatility, thy name is McCaffrey.

Against UCLA earlier in the season, McCaffrey broke Toby Gerhart‘s school record by rushing for 243 yards and scoring four touchdowns. In the Big Game against Cal, he set the school record with 389 all-purpose yards, including 192 yards on the ground, a 98-yard kick return touchdown, and 49-yard receiving touchdown

McCaffrey has made a serious case to be considered for the Heisman Trophy. He has a lot of great competition, but it will be extremely hard to ignore McCaffrey’s overall body of work.

Next: Running Back Exceeding Expectations