I'm going to start by saying that the information I've gathered about how the class could shape up in terms of total recruits and position breakdown could change. That is probably a given with any class, but I wanted to make note of it for 2018.
The most significant variable is that there are a number of players on this team for whom this could be their last season on The Farm. The uncertainty about the personal decisions some people still have to make has undoubtedly affected the number I have.
Obviously there will be speculation about who may enter the draft or may not return for a fifth year, and I'm sure fans will have opinions about how it's possible to finish 2018 with a bigger class, but for now the projected maximum class size is 16. There are two returning LDS missionaries: Simi Fehoko and Loa Kaufusi. Fourteen 2017 high school graduates are currently projected to join them.
Offense: 4-6
QB -- One: Jack West
RB -- One: Justus Woods is currently the only uncommitted running back with an offer and I think he is a heavy lean to Stanford. The Cardinal's first running back offer was to Dameon Pierce, who is an Alabama commit. Of interest to me is that Florida track star/football late-bloomer LaVonte Valentine has been getting more Stanford Twitter attention. I'll try to figure out what may be happening there.
OL -- One: Stanford is all in on Georgia five star guard Jamaree Salyer. He's the only offer out right now to an offensive lineman.
Salyer knew Walker Little and Foster Sarell from last year's Opening event and they met again during the March 4-5 junior day weekend. I've heard from a couple sources that when that visit started Jamaree was more on board with Stanford than his mom, who had some concern about distance from home. By the end of the visit she had warmed to Stanford. I still think Georgia in particular will be very tough to beat in this recruitment, but the Cardinal are selling the idea of joining an elite line (meeting Little and Sarell) to go with the normal strengths they have to pitch.
WR -- Two (Three including Fehoko): There are offers out to Jalen Hall (who is widely reported as a USC lean but with interest in Stanford), Amon-Ra St. Brown (who reportedly favors Notre Dame, USC and Stanford as a top three according to articles from the LA Opening event) and Alontae Taylor (who appears unlikely to leave SEC territory, but we'll see if he visits Stanford).
EDIT: Now an offer out to Wilson, a heavy lean to Stanford.
JR Justice would likely jump on a Stanford offer. It's a deep wide receiver group.
TBD -- One: Obviously the math adds up to five from the previous groups. I've heard a variety of ways the sixth spot could end up and I'm not able at this time to predict the most likely outcome.
Defense: 8
DL -- One: Stanford has offers out to KJ Henry and Max Wright. Henry has all but eliminated Stanford and wants to graduate early.
I've posted before that Wright's visit to Stanford during the fall was a significant success. But in the past few months it has been tough to get a read on Wright's mindset regarding Stanford. I hope to know more about Wright's recruitment as soon as possible. He appears on his way to be a five-star and already is a top-tier four star.
Thomas Booker let me know he is still interested in Stanford and is working to get back out for a visit. Draco Bynum may visit but that is very uncertain right now. I think a Stanford offer to either would get a very favorable reaction.
OLB -- Two (Three including Kaufusi): Stanford has offers out to Payton Wilson, Jesse Luketa, Damone Clark, Shayne Simon, Tobe Umerah and Brandon Kaho. I'm not 100% sure if Stanford views Clark, Simon and Luketa as OLB, but for this discussion I'll list them by their Rivals profile information.
Luketa committed to Penn State a couple days after a Stanford offer and there may not be much chance to sway him from that verbal. Damone Clark is committed to LSU but has expressed interest in visiting, but probably not until the summer or on an official. Wilson released a top-seven before the offer from Stanford but I've heard he was reacting positively to being recruited by the Cardinal. I'm not sure if they can get him out to visit.
Simon told me he wants to visit during his spring break, which may line up for him to attend the junior-day weekend.
I think Stanford is in a good spot with Umerah. He has always liked Stanford a lot. Brandon Kaho has work to do and may be go on an LDS mission. But, if things break right for him and Stanford, he would be a heavy lean to sign with the Cardinal. They may not have the star ratings of Wilson and Luketa, but a pairing of Umerah and Kaho would be a very good OLB group. And Kaho could also move inside.
Jack Lamb is an outside linebacker who has not been offered but is very interested in Stanford. He was just invited to The Opening and has a good academic profile. I will double check with him as soon as I can about whether Stanford views him inside or outside.
ILB -- Two: Stanford has offers out to Teradja Mitchell, Solomon Tuliaupupu and Dax Hollifield.
Mitchell has already eliminated Stanford. Tuliaupupu could be very difficult to win away from USC and Stanford needs to get him on campus for a real visit.
Hollifield wants to visit and Stanford may need to make a great impression to overcome the distance factor. But he says good things about the Cardinal and that the quality of Stanford University is the main reason he'd consider a school in the West.
One name to keep an eye on is Alston Orji, who may camp with Stanford in June, but that has been said before by well-offered/highly-ranked prospects who ultimately decide to not camp. But the Orjis seem to like Stanford (the father and Alston's younger brother, Anfernee, a highly regarded 2019 recruit) while they wait on an offer.
DBs -- Three: Stanford has offered Tyreke Johnson, Myles Sims, B.J. Foster, Braden Lenzy, Kyler Gordon, Malone Mataele and Trevon Moehrig-Woodard.
Myles Sims and Foster have eliminated Stanford. Braden Lenzy could be a receiver, but I believe Stanford was leaning defensive back. He appears set on Notre Dame. Moehrig-Woodard has not given any indication he is interested in Stanford.
I heard from a reliable source that Johnson, a five star from Florida, is considering visiting Stanford during the summer. I still consider him a long shot at best, but Stanford is at least in the picture. He has given interviews in which he talked favorably about playing in the Pac-12 and is set on taking an official visit to UCLA.
Stanford is in the top two for Gordon and he has talked about visiting soon. Mataele really likes Stanford. I know he doesn't have a great Rivals ranking, but there are people in the evaluation business who think very highly of his ability. And, of course, he has the Duane Akina stamp of approval given he was offered.
EDIT: Steve Stephens has not been offered, but if he does well with his tests that could change. Stanford could become a top school for the Fresno native if he was offered.
In conclusion: There is still much more that is unknown than known about how this class will finish. I expect more offers to go out relatively soon for 2018 and maybe even some for 2019 (No, I do not expect one to a quarterback, yet).
I'd say linebacker has a number of positive variations of how it could work out, while keeping in mind Stanford may decide to view some of them at different positions than I listed them.
Defensive back may need more offers to get to three. It could get interesting at offensive line if Salyer's recruitment goes late into the recruiting calendar and he commits to say Georgia.
We've all bought tickets for the ride, so let's see where it goes.
The most significant variable is that there are a number of players on this team for whom this could be their last season on The Farm. The uncertainty about the personal decisions some people still have to make has undoubtedly affected the number I have.
Obviously there will be speculation about who may enter the draft or may not return for a fifth year, and I'm sure fans will have opinions about how it's possible to finish 2018 with a bigger class, but for now the projected maximum class size is 16. There are two returning LDS missionaries: Simi Fehoko and Loa Kaufusi. Fourteen 2017 high school graduates are currently projected to join them.
Offense: 4-6
QB -- One: Jack West
RB -- One: Justus Woods is currently the only uncommitted running back with an offer and I think he is a heavy lean to Stanford. The Cardinal's first running back offer was to Dameon Pierce, who is an Alabama commit. Of interest to me is that Florida track star/football late-bloomer LaVonte Valentine has been getting more Stanford Twitter attention. I'll try to figure out what may be happening there.
OL -- One: Stanford is all in on Georgia five star guard Jamaree Salyer. He's the only offer out right now to an offensive lineman.
Salyer knew Walker Little and Foster Sarell from last year's Opening event and they met again during the March 4-5 junior day weekend. I've heard from a couple sources that when that visit started Jamaree was more on board with Stanford than his mom, who had some concern about distance from home. By the end of the visit she had warmed to Stanford. I still think Georgia in particular will be very tough to beat in this recruitment, but the Cardinal are selling the idea of joining an elite line (meeting Little and Sarell) to go with the normal strengths they have to pitch.
WR -- Two (Three including Fehoko): There are offers out to Jalen Hall (who is widely reported as a USC lean but with interest in Stanford), Amon-Ra St. Brown (who reportedly favors Notre Dame, USC and Stanford as a top three according to articles from the LA Opening event) and Alontae Taylor (who appears unlikely to leave SEC territory, but we'll see if he visits Stanford).
EDIT: Now an offer out to Wilson, a heavy lean to Stanford.
JR Justice would likely jump on a Stanford offer. It's a deep wide receiver group.
TBD -- One: Obviously the math adds up to five from the previous groups. I've heard a variety of ways the sixth spot could end up and I'm not able at this time to predict the most likely outcome.
Defense: 8
DL -- One: Stanford has offers out to KJ Henry and Max Wright. Henry has all but eliminated Stanford and wants to graduate early.
I've posted before that Wright's visit to Stanford during the fall was a significant success. But in the past few months it has been tough to get a read on Wright's mindset regarding Stanford. I hope to know more about Wright's recruitment as soon as possible. He appears on his way to be a five-star and already is a top-tier four star.
Thomas Booker let me know he is still interested in Stanford and is working to get back out for a visit. Draco Bynum may visit but that is very uncertain right now. I think a Stanford offer to either would get a very favorable reaction.
OLB -- Two (Three including Kaufusi): Stanford has offers out to Payton Wilson, Jesse Luketa, Damone Clark, Shayne Simon, Tobe Umerah and Brandon Kaho. I'm not 100% sure if Stanford views Clark, Simon and Luketa as OLB, but for this discussion I'll list them by their Rivals profile information.
Luketa committed to Penn State a couple days after a Stanford offer and there may not be much chance to sway him from that verbal. Damone Clark is committed to LSU but has expressed interest in visiting, but probably not until the summer or on an official. Wilson released a top-seven before the offer from Stanford but I've heard he was reacting positively to being recruited by the Cardinal. I'm not sure if they can get him out to visit.
Simon told me he wants to visit during his spring break, which may line up for him to attend the junior-day weekend.
I think Stanford is in a good spot with Umerah. He has always liked Stanford a lot. Brandon Kaho has work to do and may be go on an LDS mission. But, if things break right for him and Stanford, he would be a heavy lean to sign with the Cardinal. They may not have the star ratings of Wilson and Luketa, but a pairing of Umerah and Kaho would be a very good OLB group. And Kaho could also move inside.
Jack Lamb is an outside linebacker who has not been offered but is very interested in Stanford. He was just invited to The Opening and has a good academic profile. I will double check with him as soon as I can about whether Stanford views him inside or outside.
ILB -- Two: Stanford has offers out to Teradja Mitchell, Solomon Tuliaupupu and Dax Hollifield.
Mitchell has already eliminated Stanford. Tuliaupupu could be very difficult to win away from USC and Stanford needs to get him on campus for a real visit.
Hollifield wants to visit and Stanford may need to make a great impression to overcome the distance factor. But he says good things about the Cardinal and that the quality of Stanford University is the main reason he'd consider a school in the West.
One name to keep an eye on is Alston Orji, who may camp with Stanford in June, but that has been said before by well-offered/highly-ranked prospects who ultimately decide to not camp. But the Orjis seem to like Stanford (the father and Alston's younger brother, Anfernee, a highly regarded 2019 recruit) while they wait on an offer.
DBs -- Three: Stanford has offered Tyreke Johnson, Myles Sims, B.J. Foster, Braden Lenzy, Kyler Gordon, Malone Mataele and Trevon Moehrig-Woodard.
Myles Sims and Foster have eliminated Stanford. Braden Lenzy could be a receiver, but I believe Stanford was leaning defensive back. He appears set on Notre Dame. Moehrig-Woodard has not given any indication he is interested in Stanford.
I heard from a reliable source that Johnson, a five star from Florida, is considering visiting Stanford during the summer. I still consider him a long shot at best, but Stanford is at least in the picture. He has given interviews in which he talked favorably about playing in the Pac-12 and is set on taking an official visit to UCLA.
Stanford is in the top two for Gordon and he has talked about visiting soon. Mataele really likes Stanford. I know he doesn't have a great Rivals ranking, but there are people in the evaluation business who think very highly of his ability. And, of course, he has the Duane Akina stamp of approval given he was offered.
EDIT: Steve Stephens has not been offered, but if he does well with his tests that could change. Stanford could become a top school for the Fresno native if he was offered.
In conclusion: There is still much more that is unknown than known about how this class will finish. I expect more offers to go out relatively soon for 2018 and maybe even some for 2019 (No, I do not expect one to a quarterback, yet).
I'd say linebacker has a number of positive variations of how it could work out, while keeping in mind Stanford may decide to view some of them at different positions than I listed them.
Defensive back may need more offers to get to three. It could get interesting at offensive line if Salyer's recruitment goes late into the recruiting calendar and he commits to say Georgia.
We've all bought tickets for the ride, so let's see where it goes.
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