San Diego State concluded its spring transfer portal pickups Friday with a running back who is returning to his roots and hoping to realize the promise that made him the state’s top prospect at his position out of high school.
Byron Cardwell signed with SDSU following two years at Cal. Cardwell began his college career at Oregon after a standout high school career which began at St. Augustine High School and ended at Morse High School in 2021.
He s the Aztecs as a graduate transfer — in fact, Cardwell graduates Saturday from Cal with a degree in sociology — with two years of eligibility remaining.
Cardwell said he connected with the SDSU staff, in particular head coach Sean Lewis and running backs coach Darian Hagan.
“I share a lot of similar characteristics in drive and wanting to grow and wanting to become better,” Cardwell said by phone Friday afternoon. “The overall atmosphere is set up to breed success. That was a big part, for me, in the process and what I liked and see in San Diego State.”
Cardwell was a 2,000-yard career rusher during a prep career spent mostly at St. Augustine. He played two games for Morse during the COVID-delayed spring season in 2021.
He made an immediate impact at O
regon, rushing for 417 yards as a true freshman and leading the Pac-12 with 6.84 yards per carry. The highlight that season was a 127-yard performance — on only seven carries — against Colorado.
A high ankle sprain limited Cardwell to two games for the Ducks during the 2022 season. He transferred thereafter to Cal, where a knee injury forced him to miss the entire 2023 season. Cardwell played in nine games last season for the Golden Bears, carrying 24 times for 75 yards.
He was among three Cal running backs to enter the spring portal amid an offensive coaching staff shakeup.
Among Cardwell’s SDSU teammates will be younger brother Braylon, a cornerback from Mount Miguel High School who is part of the Aztecs’ 2025 recruiting class.
“That’s a big plus,” Cardwell said. “I want to teach him the ropes, being, for him, what I had from older teammates.
“Also, being big brother and letting little bro know that you’re here for a reason and I’ve got your back, as well as everyone else on this team.”
Cardwell s an SDSU running backs room led by two other local products — juniors Lucky Sutton (Cathedral Catholic High School) and Christian Washington (Helix High School). He plans to compete for carries by doing “what got me to college, what got me to the levels and places and games and experiences I’ve had.”
“It’s that simple,” he said. “At the end of the day, football is football. Work is work. And that’s what I’m coming to do.”
SDSU’s 2025 roster will include two other running backs — redshirt freshman running back Cincere Rhaney and incoming freshman Jordin Thomas.
The Aztecs began looking for another running back when senior Cam Davis entered the transfer portal after falling behind Sutton and Washington in spring practice.
Cardwell is the eighth player the Aztecs have plucked from the portal in recent weeks. The others: wide receiver Donovan Brown (Syracuse), offensive linemen Kalan Ellis (Syracuse) and Michael Watkins (Washington), safety Hunter Haines (Washington State) and defensive linemen Kainoa Davis (Charlotte), August Salvati (Florida Atlantic) and Connor Irons (Air Force).
SDSU players have the next two weeks off before beginning summer conditioning in preparation for the start of training camp in August.
The Aztecs open the 2025 season Aug. 28 with a home game against Stony Brook.
