Still need to make some calls/talk to more folks in the coming weeks (will hopefully have a best guess class sometime early next month), but some notes on this week's series of camps/Stanford's overall recruiting outlook based on some initial conversations/digging...
-There weren't any scholarship-caliber 2017 defensive linemen at camp. Stanford's focus at the position remains Dalyn Wade-Perry and Ryan Johnson. There are other guys with offers out there, but I continue to hear that those are the two Stanford has really honed in on. (So I wouldn't really be keeping super close tabs on someone like Martin Andrus even though he did include the Cardinal in his top 10.)
-Linebacker recruiting is in a somewhat unusual spot right now. There are legitimately a half dozen-plus prospects who are still viable (though that number could drop over the course of the summer) for like one spot, but I don't think Stanford feels great about any individual linebacker for one reason or another. (Viable options include Baron Browning, Justin Foster, K.J. Britt, Anthony Hines, Leonard Warner, Tyshon Fogg... I haven't heard Nate McBride's name mentioned in a while, but I know he continues to discuss the Cardinal in interviews, etc...) There is hope and some measure of optimism with some of those guys. But we'll see who ends up visiting/doing the academic work. I have not yet heard how Odua Isibor performed at camp, but he's a high academic kid who could be in the mix for another linebacker offer if it gets to that point.
-Stanford has Stuart Head committed at safety, and the Cardinal is continuing to push for Elijah Molden and Darnay Holmes at CB. Neither Molden nor Holmes is a lock, but I do feel better about their chances with Molden than Holmes. Though Stanford is still in the ballgame with Darnay. (Not sure how his June standardized test result came back.) If, say, Stanford only gets two of the three, they may just call it a day at the position and use that third scholarship elsewhere. Then again, they do still have offers out to other defensive backs, so things could heat up with someone like Yusuf Corker or Jaylen Kelly-Powell (or I guess Jeffrey Okudah, though I haven't heard much about him lately) if a visit takes place. But for the time being, I think my best guess is that Stanford ends up taking two DB's in this class (Head/Molden) - but it's still a very fluid situation.
Also, I haven't yet been able to do much digging on the 2017 DB's who impressed in camp. That's on the to do list.
-Tarik Black and Osiris St. Brown are still top wide receiver targets (and the target WR number in this class is two), but Austin Williams really did make quite the impression at camp. One source mentioned that he felt Williams is better than some of the receivers who have 4/5-star rankings. He'll definitely be one to monitor in the coming months.
-Spoke with a third person who observed Jack West's workout on Monday and heard more of the same - that Jack was extremely impressive. Threw 50 yard ropes without much effort. And basically the fact that West wasn't necessarily zipping it on Tuesday morning may have been due to fatigue or even tinkering with some mechanical adjustments. So it sounds like Stanford will certainly continue to prioritize him. Jack Tuttle is another 2018 quarterback who made a strong impression during camp.
-Continues to be a great deal of positive buzz about 2019 Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels. Hearing he made a very strong impression on Stanford. There just haven't been many freshmen (well, rising sophomore) quarterbacks who were as good as Daniels in the last decade at Stanford's camp - and that's not hyperbole. Special prospect. I haven't been told this explicitly, but if everything checks out I wouldn't be shocked if Stanford did move on him sooner than later. Could end up being Stanford/ND battles for the Mater Dei trio of Daniels, Osiris St. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
-Continue to hear that Texas DB Paulson Adebo made a stronger impression on Stanford as a DB than a wide receiver. Definitely an exciting talent with a lot of speed. But there are numbers constraints at both positions, and I don't believe an offer is imminent. We'll see how things progress at DB/WR. Paulson will be one to continue to keep an eye on.
-Would not be surprised if 2018 Georgia OLB Tobe Umerah adds a Stanford offer to his list at some point - not sure when, but he really impressed. High academic kid as well.
-Have not heard a ton about 2018 Texas LB Alston Orji (who just added an offer from the Longhorns) and 2019 Texas DB/LB Anfernee Orji's Thursday workout. Will try to get to the bottom of that in the next few weeks.
-Stanford has already offered him, of course, but several sources I spoke with described Amon-Ra St. Brown's camp performance in absolutely glowing terms. Special talent.
-I've heard Stanford intends/hopes to take a walk-on long snapper in this class.
-There weren't any scholarship-caliber 2017 defensive linemen at camp. Stanford's focus at the position remains Dalyn Wade-Perry and Ryan Johnson. There are other guys with offers out there, but I continue to hear that those are the two Stanford has really honed in on. (So I wouldn't really be keeping super close tabs on someone like Martin Andrus even though he did include the Cardinal in his top 10.)
-Linebacker recruiting is in a somewhat unusual spot right now. There are legitimately a half dozen-plus prospects who are still viable (though that number could drop over the course of the summer) for like one spot, but I don't think Stanford feels great about any individual linebacker for one reason or another. (Viable options include Baron Browning, Justin Foster, K.J. Britt, Anthony Hines, Leonard Warner, Tyshon Fogg... I haven't heard Nate McBride's name mentioned in a while, but I know he continues to discuss the Cardinal in interviews, etc...) There is hope and some measure of optimism with some of those guys. But we'll see who ends up visiting/doing the academic work. I have not yet heard how Odua Isibor performed at camp, but he's a high academic kid who could be in the mix for another linebacker offer if it gets to that point.
-Stanford has Stuart Head committed at safety, and the Cardinal is continuing to push for Elijah Molden and Darnay Holmes at CB. Neither Molden nor Holmes is a lock, but I do feel better about their chances with Molden than Holmes. Though Stanford is still in the ballgame with Darnay. (Not sure how his June standardized test result came back.) If, say, Stanford only gets two of the three, they may just call it a day at the position and use that third scholarship elsewhere. Then again, they do still have offers out to other defensive backs, so things could heat up with someone like Yusuf Corker or Jaylen Kelly-Powell (or I guess Jeffrey Okudah, though I haven't heard much about him lately) if a visit takes place. But for the time being, I think my best guess is that Stanford ends up taking two DB's in this class (Head/Molden) - but it's still a very fluid situation.
Also, I haven't yet been able to do much digging on the 2017 DB's who impressed in camp. That's on the to do list.
-Tarik Black and Osiris St. Brown are still top wide receiver targets (and the target WR number in this class is two), but Austin Williams really did make quite the impression at camp. One source mentioned that he felt Williams is better than some of the receivers who have 4/5-star rankings. He'll definitely be one to monitor in the coming months.
-Spoke with a third person who observed Jack West's workout on Monday and heard more of the same - that Jack was extremely impressive. Threw 50 yard ropes without much effort. And basically the fact that West wasn't necessarily zipping it on Tuesday morning may have been due to fatigue or even tinkering with some mechanical adjustments. So it sounds like Stanford will certainly continue to prioritize him. Jack Tuttle is another 2018 quarterback who made a strong impression during camp.
-Continues to be a great deal of positive buzz about 2019 Mater Dei quarterback JT Daniels. Hearing he made a very strong impression on Stanford. There just haven't been many freshmen (well, rising sophomore) quarterbacks who were as good as Daniels in the last decade at Stanford's camp - and that's not hyperbole. Special prospect. I haven't been told this explicitly, but if everything checks out I wouldn't be shocked if Stanford did move on him sooner than later. Could end up being Stanford/ND battles for the Mater Dei trio of Daniels, Osiris St. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
-Continue to hear that Texas DB Paulson Adebo made a stronger impression on Stanford as a DB than a wide receiver. Definitely an exciting talent with a lot of speed. But there are numbers constraints at both positions, and I don't believe an offer is imminent. We'll see how things progress at DB/WR. Paulson will be one to continue to keep an eye on.
-Would not be surprised if 2018 Georgia OLB Tobe Umerah adds a Stanford offer to his list at some point - not sure when, but he really impressed. High academic kid as well.
-Have not heard a ton about 2018 Texas LB Alston Orji (who just added an offer from the Longhorns) and 2019 Texas DB/LB Anfernee Orji's Thursday workout. Will try to get to the bottom of that in the next few weeks.
-Stanford has already offered him, of course, but several sources I spoke with described Amon-Ra St. Brown's camp performance in absolutely glowing terms. Special talent.
-I've heard Stanford intends/hopes to take a walk-on long snapper in this class.
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