[TrumpCard]

Terian Williams deciding tomorrow at 12:30 pacific:
https://mobile.twitter.com/T_WilliamsD1/...2583567364

[TrumpCard]

Terian Williams deciding tomorrow at 12:30 pacific:
https://mobile.twitter.com/T_WilliamsD1/...2583567364

[OutsiderFan]

Terian Williams deciding tomorrow at 12:30 pacific:
https://mobile.twitter.com/T_WilliamsD1/...2583567364

hasn't he already decided on the California school in his list of finalists?

[OutsiderFan]

Terian Williams deciding tomorrow at 12:30 pacific:
https://mobile.twitter.com/T_WilliamsD1/...2583567364

hasn't he already decided on the California school in his list of finalists?

[TrumpCard]

It’s Stanford. He pulled the trigger early. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSHYGMsKW5/

[TrumpCard]

It’s Stanford. He pulled the trigger early. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSHYGMsKW5/

[BostonCard]

I haven't been this excited about a class since 2017 (Sarrell, Little, Mills, Parkinson, Adebo, etc.) and while that class had some real top end talent, in the end we were burned because of the class size (14) and lack of balance (only one linebacker).  This class doesn't have as much top end talent (four of the recruits in 2017 were in the top 3 of their position), but it is much deeper and well-balanced.  I think we could do with another wide receiver, but aside from that, it is a very well-balanced class with no gaping holes (and we are probably not done yet).

BC

[BostonCard]

I haven't been this excited about a class since 2017 (Sarrell, Little, Mills, Parkinson, Adebo, etc.) and while that class had some real top end talent, in the end we were burned because of the class size (14) and lack of balance (only one linebacker).  This class doesn't have as much top end talent (four of the recruits in 2017 were in the top 3 of their position), but it is much deeper and well-balanced.  I think we could do with another wide receiver, but aside from that, it is a very well-balanced class with no gaping holes (and we are probably not done yet).

BC

[OutsiderFan]

I don't know how good Terian Williams will be as a Safety at Stanford, but he seems to have a passion for football that needs to exist on a team for it to win in a highly competitive sport.

[OutsiderFan]

I don't know how good Terian Williams will be as a Safety at Stanford, but he seems to have a passion for football that needs to exist on a team for it to win in a highly competitive sport.

[SamuelMcF]

Williams will most likely be a corner, unless Collin Wright is (but I believe Wright much more likely to be a S).

It shouldn't be overstated how backbreaking back-to-back classes of ~15 players ('17 and '18) is for depth. We're seeing the effects of that now. You need 20+ every year.

[SamuelMcF]

Williams will most likely be a corner, unless Collin Wright is (but I believe Wright much more likely to be a S).

It shouldn't be overstated how backbreaking back-to-back classes of ~15 players ('17 and '18) is for depth. We're seeing the effects of that now. You need 20+ every year.

[BostonCard]

Really excited to see what we can do now that our sanctions* have been lifted.

BC

* Self-imposed scholarship limits

[BostonCard]

Really excited to see what we can do now that our sanctions* have been lifted.

BC

* Self-imposed scholarship limits

[TrumpCard]

I’m pleased with the class so far. Shaw definitely has recruited a good number of players who seem like credible Pac-12 level athletes. The 2017 and 2018 classes were obviously too small and the team will pay for that this year. I feel reasonably confident that the team will be quite a bit deeper in 2023 than 2021. I just hope there’s a good QB on that team.

[TrumpCard]

I’m pleased with the class so far. Shaw definitely has recruited a good number of players who seem like credible Pac-12 level athletes. The 2017 and 2018 classes were obviously too small and the team will pay for that this year. I feel reasonably confident that the team will be quite a bit deeper in 2023 than 2021. I just hope there’s a good QB on that team.

[BostonCard]

Any bets on what the rest of the class looks like (size and positions)?

BC

[BostonCard]

Any bets on what the rest of the class looks like (size and positions)?

BC

[slide]

well played BC on the self sanctions which have run longer than anything the NCAA has handed out except for when the Pony Express threw a shoe 35 years ago.

on remaining needs in the class, very little elite speed in the verbals so far.  Hagen at WR would be a help.  also a shortage at CB and DT.  of our DBs, 3 appear to be safeties, 1 a true CB.  (looking at the long term quality recruiting decline at DB under Akina/Shaw -- this is an area to watch).  at DT, we still don't have an anchor inside.  a true DT would be great add to the other verballed DL.

[slide]

well played BC on the self sanctions which have run longer than anything the NCAA has handed out except for when the Pony Express threw a shoe 35 years ago.

on remaining needs in the class, very little elite speed in the verbals so far.  Hagen at WR would be a help.  also a shortage at CB and DT.  of our DBs, 3 appear to be safeties, 1 a true CB.  (looking at the long term quality recruiting decline at DB under Akina/Shaw -- this is an area to watch).  at DT, we still don't have an anchor inside.  a true DT would be great add to the other verballed DL.

[TrumpCard]

 also a shortage at CB and DT.  of our DBs, 3 appear to be safeties, 1 a true CB.  (looking at the long term quality recruiting decline at DB under Akina/Shaw -- this is an area to watch).  at DT, we still don't have an anchor inside.  a true DT would be great add to the other verballed DL.

These comments caught my eye.  

Akim Sledge might be the player Stanford needs to add depth at CB since he's reportedly strong in man coverage:  
https://www.si.com/college/bostoncollege...ting-offer.  
That'd be SIX DBs in this class if you include Edwards, but maybe someone can flip to WR, or maybe Shaw would be okay with six given the lack of roster depth.  STM and Jones in back-to-back classes had me feeling okay about CB a couple of years ago.  I remember a time when Stanford's plan at safety appeared to be the re-tooling of guys who lost the competition for playing time at CB, but that's clearly not the case anymore.  Do you think Sledge is a legit possibility?  

As for a true NT, I don't see any plausible options among the players who hold a current offer.  Selah Brown plays DE in high school and is listed at 251 lbs.  Dallas Vakalahi is LDS and taking a mission, so even in the event folks here are wrong about his interest in Stanford, Vakalahi would not be the solution for the 2022 class.  Granted, Shaw whiffed on the NT position last year, but he did land Phillips in 2020 and Pakola (who's now over 300 lbs) in 2019.  So I wasn't too worried about NT until your comment.  Do you have anyone in mind?

[TrumpCard]

 also a shortage at CB and DT.  of our DBs, 3 appear to be safeties, 1 a true CB.  (looking at the long term quality recruiting decline at DB under Akina/Shaw -- this is an area to watch).  at DT, we still don't have an anchor inside.  a true DT would be great add to the other verballed DL.

These comments caught my eye.  

Akim Sledge might be the player Stanford needs to add depth at CB since he's reportedly strong in man coverage:  
https://www.si.com/college/bostoncollege...ting-offer.  
That'd be SIX DBs in this class if you include Edwards, but maybe someone can flip to WR, or maybe Shaw would be okay with six given the lack of roster depth.  STM and Jones in back-to-back classes had me feeling okay about CB a couple of years ago.  I remember a time when Stanford's plan at safety appeared to be the re-tooling of guys who lost the competition for playing time at CB, but that's clearly not the case anymore.  Do you think Sledge is a legit possibility?  

As for a true NT, I don't see any plausible options among the players who hold a current offer.  Selah Brown plays DE in high school and is listed at 251 lbs.  Dallas Vakalahi is LDS and taking a mission, so even in the event folks here are wrong about his interest in Stanford, Vakalahi would not be the solution for the 2022 class.  Granted, Shaw whiffed on the NT position last year, but he did land Phillips in 2020 and Pakola (who's now over 300 lbs) in 2019.  So I wasn't too worried about NT until your comment.  Do you have anyone in mind?

[TrumpCard]

Stanford doesn’t “need” another edge rusher, but David Bailey is not just another edge rusher. Check out this player evaluation from a too notch reporter at 247:

https://therebelwalk.com/2021/08/rw-recr...ncanville/

[TrumpCard]

Stanford doesn’t “need” another edge rusher, but David Bailey is not just another edge rusher. Check out this player evaluation from a too notch reporter at 247:

https://therebelwalk.com/2021/08/rw-recr...ncanville/

[OutsiderFan]

Williams will most likely be a corner, unless Collin Wright is (but I believe Wright much more likely to be a S).

It shouldn't be overstated how backbreaking back-to-back classes of ~15 players ('17 and '18) is for depth. We're seeing the effects of that now. You need 20+ every year.

I didn't see a single highlight from the Williams hudl video that shows him playing CB IIRC. But you could see why he dubs himself "playmaker" in them. He doesn't have the short area quickness and hips for CB IMO. He's built like and plays like a Safety.

Playing TW at CB is like Foster Sarell starting at LT over Walker Little, and then being moved the Guard, IMO.

[OutsiderFan]

Williams will most likely be a corner, unless Collin Wright is (but I believe Wright much more likely to be a S).

It shouldn't be overstated how backbreaking back-to-back classes of ~15 players ('17 and '18) is for depth. We're seeing the effects of that now. You need 20+ every year.

I didn't see a single highlight from the Williams hudl video that shows him playing CB IIRC. But you could see why he dubs himself "playmaker" in them. He doesn't have the short area quickness and hips for CB IMO. He's built like and plays like a Safety.

Playing TW at CB is like Foster Sarell starting at LT over Walker Little, and then being moved the Guard, IMO.

[slide]

As for a true NT, I don't see any plausible options among the players who hold a current offer.  Selah Brown plays DE in high school and is listed at 251 lbs.  Dallas Vakalahi is LDS and taking a mission, so even in the event folks here are wrong about his interest in Stanford, Vakalahi would not be the solution for the 2022 class.  Granted, Shaw whiffed on the NT position last year, but he did land Phillips in 2020 and Pakola (who's now over 300 lbs) in 2019.  So I wasn't too worried about NT until your comment.  Do you have anyone in mind?

agreed in terms of DT prospects with offers.  we didn't make Finkley's final 3 and VanSumeren seems happy with his Michigan State verbal.  Diron Reynolds does not appear to be one of our more aggressive recruiters unfortunately.

[slide]

As for a true NT, I don't see any plausible options among the players who hold a current offer.  Selah Brown plays DE in high school and is listed at 251 lbs.  Dallas Vakalahi is LDS and taking a mission, so even in the event folks here are wrong about his interest in Stanford, Vakalahi would not be the solution for the 2022 class.  Granted, Shaw whiffed on the NT position last year, but he did land Phillips in 2020 and Pakola (who's now over 300 lbs) in 2019.  So I wasn't too worried about NT until your comment.  Do you have anyone in mind?

agreed in terms of DT prospects with offers.  we didn't make Finkley's final 3 and VanSumeren seems happy with his Michigan State verbal.  Diron Reynolds does not appear to be one of our more aggressive recruiters unfortunately.

[TrumpCard]

Reynolds seems to be good for one high-end DL per year (Cooper, Armitage, Phillips, Pakola, Booker, plus two in 2017, Johnson and DWP). But he certainly doesn’t pile up a lot of depth. I wonder how much of that is a function of Shaw favoring other position groups.

[TrumpCard]

Reynolds seems to be good for one high-end DL per year (Cooper, Armitage, Phillips, Pakola, Booker, plus two in 2017, Johnson and DWP). But he certainly doesn’t pile up a lot of depth. I wonder how much of that is a function of Shaw favoring other position groups.

[Papa John]

Are you sure about Reynolds? I don't know that he's done all that much worse at recruiting quantity than Randy Hart, who I loved by the way.

But more to the point, aren't the DL coaches assigned to recruit regions rather than positions? I'm not sure how that works.

[Papa John]

Are you sure about Reynolds? I don't know that he's done all that much worse at recruiting quantity than Randy Hart, who I loved by the way.

But more to the point, aren't the DL coaches assigned to recruit regions rather than positions? I'm not sure how that works.

[BostonCard]

DL has been Stanford's recruiting bugaboo for as long as I can remember, so I don't think it is a Reynolds specific thing, but given how much of a problem area it has been, I am surprised that it didn't merit more dedicated attention.  Reynolds has been our DL coach since 2016, and we have had some good top end DL recruits.

Here's what Reynolds has done as recruiter:
2016: Williams, Schaffer, Swann, Peak (Peak eventually transferred, but the other three wound up being contributors)
2017: DWP and Ryan Johnson (both  contributors)
2018: Thomas Booker (contributor)
2019: Josh Pakola (Who may be out)
2020: Tobin Phillips (TBD)
2021: Aaron Armitage, Zach Buckey, Anthony Franklin (TBD if any are contributors)


What is notable to me is that in 2018, 2019, and 2020 we recruited exactly one scholarship player each year for the defensive line.  A one-year miss in recruiting can be overcome, when it stretches over two years it becomes a problem.  When it gets to three years, it is a major problem.  What I legitimately don't get is that Reynolds had to deal with the recruiting holes left by his predecessor, so he knew what going a couple of years without recruits can do for your depth.  I honesty don't get why he wasn't concerned in 2019 after only getting Booker in 2018, and then not legit panicking in 2020 after only 2 defensive linemen in 2 years (and four in three years).  It's even worse if you just focus on DTs.  If not for the fact that DWP came back for a fifth year, we would be positively screwed at DT with  Tobin Philips as the only recruited DT at that position.  Even if you allow for the fact that we are in nickel more often than not, how do you only recruit one DT over the course of five years (assuming we strike out again this year, which appears likely).

So yeah, Reynolds can recruit some solid defensive ends, but his failure to recruit defensive tackles and a three year drought in defensive linemen is recruiting malpractice.  At least it looks like we will have defensive ends once the classes of 2021 and 2022 are fully onboard.

BC

[BostonCard]

DL has been Stanford's recruiting bugaboo for as long as I can remember, so I don't think it is a Reynolds specific thing, but given how much of a problem area it has been, I am surprised that it didn't merit more dedicated attention.  Reynolds has been our DL coach since 2016, and we have had some good top end DL recruits.

Here's what Reynolds has done as recruiter:
2016: Williams, Schaffer, Swann, Peak (Peak eventually transferred, but the other three wound up being contributors)
2017: DWP and Ryan Johnson (both  contributors)
2018: Thomas Booker (contributor)
2019: Josh Pakola (Who may be out)
2020: Tobin Phillips (TBD)
2021: Aaron Armitage, Zach Buckey, Anthony Franklin (TBD if any are contributors)


What is notable to me is that in 2018, 2019, and 2020 we recruited exactly one scholarship player each year for the defensive line.  A one-year miss in recruiting can be overcome, when it stretches over two years it becomes a problem.  When it gets to three years, it is a major problem.  What I legitimately don't get is that Reynolds had to deal with the recruiting holes left by his predecessor, so he knew what going a couple of years without recruits can do for your depth.  I honesty don't get why he wasn't concerned in 2019 after only getting Booker in 2018, and then not legit panicking in 2020 after only 2 defensive linemen in 2 years (and four in three years).  It's even worse if you just focus on DTs.  If not for the fact that DWP came back for a fifth year, we would be positively screwed at DT with  Tobin Philips as the only recruited DT at that position.  Even if you allow for the fact that we are in nickel more often than not, how do you only recruit one DT over the course of five years (assuming we strike out again this year, which appears likely).

So yeah, Reynolds can recruit some solid defensive ends, but his failure to recruit defensive tackles and a three year drought in defensive linemen is recruiting malpractice.  At least it looks like we will have defensive ends once the classes of 2021 and 2022 are fully onboard.

BC

[TrumpCard]

Andres Fox and Lance Keneley were recruited as DLs.  They just didn’t put on enough good weight to play the position.

[TrumpCard]

Andres Fox and Lance Keneley were recruited as DLs.  They just didn’t put on enough good weight to play the position.

[Goose]

Again, I believe that there are some years where there just aren't any defensive linemen that can play at the PAC-12 level, want to attend Stanford, and can get in. One may believe that the recruiter should be able to turn around any qualified player who can actually play in the PAC-12, but that just isn't so. There are qualified players who simply don't believe that it is worth the work to get a Stanford admission when they can get admitted to other schools that are perfectly adequate to their needs without doing all the work it takes to get into Stanford. If you don't already value the "40 year decision", getting you to do so isn't necessarily possible, let alone easy. While people on this board may believe this simply can't be true, I think there is every evidence that it is.

[Goose]

Again, I believe that there are some years where there just aren't any defensive linemen that can play at the PAC-12 level, want to attend Stanford, and can get in. One may believe that the recruiter should be able to turn around any qualified player who can actually play in the PAC-12, but that just isn't so. There are qualified players who simply don't believe that it is worth the work to get a Stanford admission when they can get admitted to other schools that are perfectly adequate to their needs without doing all the work it takes to get into Stanford. If you don't already value the "40 year decision", getting you to do so isn't necessarily possible, let alone easy. While people on this board may believe this simply can't be true, I think there is every evidence that it is.

[Phogge]

“40 year decision.” Holy cow. Come on guys, hundreds of colleges have graduated millions of students who made the right decision and who prospered in every field that Stanford serves.

Some around here act like it’s the only possible decision. It’s not.

[Phogge]

“40 year decision.” Holy cow. Come on guys, hundreds of colleges have graduated millions of students who made the right decision and who prospered in every field that Stanford serves.

Some around here act like it’s the only possible decision. It’s not.