Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Kirby Lee

Christian McCaffrey was a revelation last year. The 205-pound junior amassed a staggering 3,864 all-purpose yards, a single-season NCAA record. Iowa’s All-American DB Desmond King, who has faced some special RBs in his career (Melvin Gordon and Jeremy Hill among them), calls McCaffrey the best he’s played. “He really reads his blocks, has that second gear and is elusive to make you miss,” King said. Cardinal coach David Shaw says McCaffrey is stronger, faster and wiser this offseason. Stanford did lose short-yardage back Remound Wright, but expect McCaffrey to become more of a force near the goal line. Some inside the program see McCaffrey as this generation’s LaDainian Tomlinson. Another boost will come from the rise of Bryce Love, a speedster who should be a big-play man with so much defensive attention tilted to McCaffrey. Love had 476 yards on only 44 touches in 2015. "He's a special, special football player,” Shaw said of Love this spring, adding how excited he was at the prospect of having McCaffrey and Love on the field at the same time. Redshirt freshman Cameron Scarlett, a 220-pounder, also figures to get some carries. He had a really good spring. Daniel Marx, Stanford’s 244-pound fullback, is back to help pave the way for all after missing the last month of the season. Cardinal coaches think he’s as good a blocking back as they’ve had there in a while.