After wearing No. 0 his freshman year, it made sense with a name like Seven McGee that a number change was coming heading into next season. A position change, however, wasn’t something he expected.
Last season, McGee got lost in a veteran-laden running back room, headlined by the NFL-bound CJ Verdell, now USC running back Travis Dye and sophomore standout Byron Cardwell.
McGee totaled just 61 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown his freshman year but brought spark to Oregon’s passing attack later in the year, adding 84 receiving yards on seven catches. Though he doesn’t possess eye-popping statistics, his lack of production could be attributed to Oregon’s stagnant offense and predictable playcalling.
Throughout Oregon’s spring practices, McGee’s teammates have watched him blossom in his new role.
“He can go out there and route up any cornerback or linebacker,” sophomore linebacker Jeffrey Bassa said.
During this year’s spring camp, McGee has not only impressed his coaches and teammates, but it has been evident to the media in attendance he’s a player who requires attention during every rep of every drill.
In the first 11-on-11 scrimmage of spring ball, McGee wasted no time displaying his playmaking ability no matter where he was on the field. Lined up in the slot on the second play, he caught a 50-yard would-be touchdown pass after breaking loose from sophomore defensive back Trikweze Bridges.
“[Seven’s] a guy that you better have your eyes ready to play him because he’s quick, he knows how to play receiver and he’s a dog too,” Bridges said.
Later that practice, McGee fielded punts during special teams drills and everyone marveled at his ability to evade tacklers. Ducks fans shouldn’t be surprised if he’s the lead returner when the season rolls around.
His natural athleticism contributes to the ease of the transition, but athleticism alone won’t make him a great receiver, and McGee knows that. Part of what has made the move from running back to wide receiver seem so easy for McGee is the extra work he’s been putting in throughout spring camp.
“He comes in extra time for film. He stays after and catches footballs,” wide receivers coach Junior Adams said. “He’ll send me clips of plays — he’s steady, asking and eager to learn, and we’re excited about him.”
Coming out of East High School in Rochester, New York, McGee was a 4-star recruit with a skillset to be a jolt of energy to an offense that optimized him.
Though he primarily played running back in high school, he never shied away when his coaches asked him to line up in the slot or at wideout. His history of positional adaptability most certainly played a factor in the seemingly effortless transition he’s made to wide receiver in this year’s spring camp.
As a recruit, McGee did not have the typical high school experience, even by most recruits’ standards.
In November of his sophomore year at East, he made his second and final commitment to Oregon, a move many locals in Rochester questioned due to how much time he had left in high school.
But McGee noted after committing that his decision was in the making for much longer than they might expect. When asked about his earliest memories of wanting to be a Duck, he told Rochester First, “Probably like 9, 10 years old. I always wanted to sign with the Ducks.”
He then made the move to Southern California after two standout seasons in Rochester but ended up returning to his home state after a misconduct violation that included the school’s principal, head coach, assistant coach and athletic director.
Upon coming back to upstate New York, McGee’s transfer appeal was denied, and he was forced to sit out his junior year.
When COVID-19 forced high schools in New York to postpone their fall football season, McGee was left without a place to display his talents in his final season of high school.
McGee didn’t let that impact his approach to competing as a Duck.
He enrolled early at Oregon and began practicing with the team to get prepared for his first season of college football.
His shiftiness and versatility made an immediate impact on his peers and coaches. The position change, however, wasn’t brought on by the previous coaching staff, though McGee hinted at it during his freshman year.
“As of right now, I’m just learning the running back role and hopefully in the future I’ll play a little slot,” McGee said.
With the revamped coaching staff headlined by head coach Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, McGee projects to be a heavily used piece in the new offense.
Dillingham has put an emphasis on the advantages of positional versatility and creating mismatches for the team’s most dynamic athletes. McGee certainly fits that description.
“This system is built for playmakers, and we are going to put our playmakers in space,” Dillingham said. “If our best players are on the perimeter who can win one-on-one’s, we’re gonna get them opportunities.”
Coach Lanning echoed a similar message when asked about what triggered the decision to move McGee to receiver.
“We’re always just going to take our players and put them in the best position to help our team,” Lanning said. “Seven’s a dynamic guy that can line up at wide out, line up in the backfield and we want to be able to use him.”
All that being said, McGee chuckled when asked if he has a preference of which position he plays.
“No sir, just put me anywhere and give me the ball,” McGee said.
His eagerness to learn and execute whatever his coaches ask of him coupled with elite athleticism and playmaking ability set McGee up to potentially be a De’anthony Thomas-type
piece in the offense — a player that he looked up to growing up and one that his teammates have often compared him to.
