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Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - Hulk01 - 11-30-2013

All of the following is opinion of course. 
But none of these opinions are mine alone.

This class projects to be far superior to any other Pac-12 class:

DL: A-
DE Solomon Thomas
He’s the most athletic defensive linemen and, with Julian Jenkins, the highest-rated and most-offered defensive lineman whom Stanford has ever recruited.

Old friend of James Vaiughters from high school hoops  Explosive hands, better against the run that as a pass rusher. Think Josh Mauro but with a much higher profile.  He projects more of an offensive lineman’s mentality--more David DeCastro than Ben Gardner--a small concern.

DT Nifae Lealao
Worries me.  I’m 30-70 that he never starts and 20-80 that he never plays; it’s clear he loves Stanford but may not love football. ( I could be upside-down here,)  But we and USC offered so he projects as a guy who could at least be a solid backup.  I’d feel better if he had Harrison Phillips’ mentality.

DE Harrison Phillips
Love having him because he will set an example and work like hell.  A tough, smart, unusually mature, national class heavyweight wrestler--a a nice background for defensive linemen who work inside.  Stars in spectacular highlight film in which he blocks a kick after cartwheeling over a blocker.  A great addition.  Upside is as a shorter Josh Mauto who blooms two years earlier.

DE Uriah Leaitaua. 
Damned if I know. 
Pops up too quickly and his tackling technique needs work.  Moves o.k. laterally in small space but not athletic overall.  SC, Wisconsin, and UCLA also offered, so perhaps he can play, and Yale has offered, so he can think and speak.  Attended the same high school as the Pac 12’s best recruiter, Richard Sherman.   

[b]LB:  A [/b]
Joey Alfieri
From the Jesuit in Portland program that gave us Owen Marecic.  Rated out as one of the top 10 players at the Nike Opening, which hosted 90% of the country’s best players.  His verified 40 equals Devon Carrington’s and he’s agile and powerful..  A top 10 player with NFL genes; his dad played for the Jets and his mom--think shades of Christian McCaffrey--was a champion sprinter.  Coach: “He has great speed. He's very tough. But the best would be his instinct and his ability to find the football.  He’s very intelligent and  a tremendously hard worker.”

Bobby Okereke
Another we will see but dear God, what an athlete.

Hasn’t played long but had a great year.  Terrific  hitter who played six different positions in high school.  His 6-1 frame is a concern---a bit short for the ideal linebacker, too short for DE--but he appears to have a 6-4 wingspan which may mitigate the height concern.  Plays at around 6-3.  Worst case is as a special teams phenom.

His athleticism means he can be very effective dropping back in coverage and he reacts well and wisely; nice feel for the game,  Hard to resist the comparison to Myles Jack but he’s smaller and longer. 

Jordan Perez
The toughest guy in the bunch, he’s a hitting freak with ungodly power..  But he’s only 6-1, too.  This looks like a case of “forget that, the guy can play,”  Terrific burst, naturally athletic--even shows nicely catching at tight end--could bring a big pass rush off the edge and take out two quarterbacks every season.  His good offer list includes Michigan, UCLA, Northwestern, Arizona, ASU, Vanderbilt,  Boise State, Miami, BYU, and Utah.

Lane Veach
Murphy II as his best case, but he’s much longer.  His freakish 7-o wingspan will help him fend off blockers and block passes, field goals, and PATs.  Will play immediately in the middle of those special teams.

Dad played for the Devils who offered him, as did home state Arizona.  Love his upside if only as a situational player.

Defensive backs: A-
Terrence Alexander. 
My favorite scout loves this guy; me, too.  Probably has the best pure cornerback skills--the ability to flip one’s hips and press or play off--of any Stanford cornerback ever,  Ohio State, A&M, LSU, Northwestern, Arkansas, Kansas State among his reported offers and his invitation to Nike’s exclusive The Opening further suggests his talent.  5-10, 170 maybe; if he were 6--0, 185 he’s be a top five prospect.  Excellent against run and pass, tough, looks like a nickel corner prospect with reported 10.9 speed.

Also gives us another foothold in Louisiana and with one of the nation’s most celebrated high school programs, John Curtis Christian.  Stanford has an unusual number of athletes from his Louisiana town of River Ridge, including two pole vaulters.

Alameen Murphy 
Another of my favorites.  Lists at 5-10, 175 but plays 6-3; he is very long.  Running track to improve his reported 4.6 speed.  Terrific angles and he tackles well and sometimes spectacularly; a sledge hammer.  Modest offers--Harvard, Arizona, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Vanderbilt, Syracuse.  Celebrated for calling us “The Miami Heat of college football.”

Brandon Simmons
May be ready to go at safety after year’s playing in his dad’s famous national 7-on-7 tournaments and playing a year of high level Texas football.  Also very physical and smart, two apparent requirements of Mason’s,  and another DB who is better against the run than the pass.  Not sure that he has a high ceiling despite being our third  highest-rated safety ever (after Lyons and Carter), but his realistic case is as two-year starter and first team nickel back.

Alijah Holder 
Good speed, tackles well and hard, comes up with mayhem in mind--sometimes to a fault.    He needs lot of bulk--at least 20 pounds on his 6-1, 165 frame (although a guess is that he already had added ten--before he can play but it’s intriguing to think what he might do with the added size and strength.  A natural cover guy.  Not the most athletic DB but very, very smart and instinctive; think a DB version of Tarpley.  Should be good to phenomenal on special teams.

Denzel Franklin
Another mystery to me.

Kirk Tucker
Have to say, another big favorite.  Really neat kid, sweet, well-spoken, head over heels over Stanford.  Hits big.  Ohio State, Wisconsin, Louisville, U Conn, Syracuse, Ohio, NC State, and Arkansas offered him.  From James Vaughter’s high school, Tucker in Tucker, Georgia.

Kicker: A
Hayden Lekacz (walk-on as a freshmen, almost certain to get a scholarship in year two).  Yet one more favorite in the class.  I glimpsed him three years ago while catching Glenbard West (Johnny Casper’s team) beat Wheaton Warrenville South.  He could have a Phillips’ effect on his classmates, too, because no 2014 recruit works harder at perfecting his craft.  Perhaps the best kickoff man in the country, has hit a wind-aided kickoff five yards past the end zone.  This guy, teamed with Okereke, Alameen Murphy, Kirck Tucker, Alfieri, Perez, and Holder, means that Stanford is odds-on to have the nation’s best kickoff team in 2015. (Having Pete Alamar as the coach helps ensure that,)  Expect a 55-yard-plus FG before he graduates.

Overall
Excellent class with talent at DT, DE, ILB, OLB, CB, and S.  Balanced.

And 2015 looks damn good, too, with what could be the nation’s best defensive back class. :)


Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - Hank 91 - 11-30-2013

I've discovered a problem with the software. It only allows me to +1 this post, when I'd actually like to give it a +10.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - yvonne - 11-30-2013

Yeah, I really like the post as well. I haven't seen such a good summary anywhere, including the recruiting sites. I like the information about the kids' attitudes and backgrounds.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - OutsiderFan - 11-30-2013

Conspicuously missing from Hulk's list of probable Stanford class of 2014 signees:  TE/OLB Garrett Dickerson

Was this an oversight?  Everything I've seen has Dickerson with Stanford as the favorite.  Is he an admissions casualty?

As for Lealao, he looks like a physical freak on video, but of course that doesn't mean he will work hard to be a great player in college.  I heard he might have trouble qualifying, but figured if he got in he would be a fine player for Stanford (assuming he worked to be a good football player).

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - PrinceLightfoot - 11-30-2013

Not an admissions casualty.

From what I have heard, Stanford is now out of reach for Garrett Dickerson and he is thinking of following his brother, Cameron, at Northwestern. We offered him after his sophomore season during the summer but he failed to blossom into a playmaker on either side of the ball in the following two seasons. Dickerson is a clean student athlete and it would be nice to have a player from that region on the team, but he doesn't seem to have what it takes to become a difference maker at the D1 football level.

To be honest, I do not consider it a loss given that he seems to lack the internal fire and aggressiveness desired for an OLB or TE. His highlight tape is unimpressive. Anyone who watched Bergen Catholic HS play on national TV would not have heard Dickerson's name - his teammate on the other hand, Kurt Holuba (also a Stanford offer at one point), was much more impressive.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - OutsiderFan - 11-30-2013

(11-30-2013, 01:23 PM)PrinceLightfoot link Wrote:Not an admissions casualty.

From what I have heard, Stanford is now out of reach for Garrett Dickerson and he is thinking of following his brother, Cameron, at Northwestern. We offered him after his sophomore season during the summer but he failed to blossom into a playmaker on either side of the ball in the following two seasons. Dickerson is a clean student athlete and it would be nice to have a player from that region on the team, but he doesn't seem to have what it takes to become a difference maker at the D1 football level.

To be honest, I do not consider it a loss given that he seems to lack the internal fire and aggressiveness desired for an OLB or TE. His highlight tape is unimpressive. Anyone who watched Bergen Catholic HS play on national TV would not have heard Dickerson's name - his teammate on the other hand, Kurt Holuba (also a Stanford offer at one point), was much more impressive.

Thanks, Prince.

This post explains the Uriah Leaitaua offer and interest quite a bit.  Holuba would have been great, but he seems to want an Ivy school. 

Stanford sure has arrived when it can drop 4 star recruits because they aren't showing well in high school.  Northwestern has to take what it can get and hope the players develop with much less confidence.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - gocard14 - 11-30-2013

First off: Great post and summary of the class, really appreciate it.

Secondly: With regards to Dickerson, are you for sure?  I know recruiting sites aren't worth much, but this guy is a consensus 4 star/top 250 guy across every site with offers from alabama, ohio state, michigan, florida st., etc. at a position where we desperately need a playmaker (TE). Do you really think he won't make the cut for this class?

If so, that makes getting Dalton Schultz that much more important.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - washingtonismoney - 12-01-2013

Having watched a lot of spread offenses these days, I'm beginning to think weaker-against-pass-than-run is a bit less of a weakness -- or rather, it's a bit deceptive. N.D.'s offense confirmed those thoughts for me: what's weird about them is that they run pro routes out of spread formations. That's a worry in general, because it generally gets your QB killed (though the Irish OL was heroic in pass pro today) and because it doesn't give you enough low-variance, low-gain plays to rely upon when the kill shots don't land.

But against most spread offenses, you'll see a bunch of passes which are basically run plays -- that's the smart thing about the spread offense (or at least many variants; I'm not a big fan of the Leachian Airraid): it allows you to set up low-variance "running" plays off of many different platforms. To counter that, you need physical DBs who can tackle. If they go deep...#partyinthefield.

(Except today! One of the better games from the DBs today. Got little pass rush help and still held Rees to 5.9 YPA on less than 50% completion. Dominant performance. If it weren't for some awful calls we would've really embarrassed them.)

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - AthleticsDynasty - 12-01-2013

Perez is my favorite recruit in the class. He's a complete football player wouldn't trade him for any other LB recruit in the country

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - Bruce Wang - 12-01-2013

Hulk,

How would you compare this class to the 2012 or the 2009 classes assuming we get Thomas and Schultz.  This probably won't finish as high as the 2012 class in the recruiting rankings, but does the presence of a potential elite QB actually make it better?  I guess what I'm hoping is that if the 2015 class is also good that when 2014 and 2015 are juniors and seniors they will be championship contenders.

Publius

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - PrinceLightfoot - 12-01-2013

(11-30-2013, 03:45 PM)gocard14 link Wrote:Secondly: With regards to Dickerson, are you for sure?  I know recruiting sites aren't worth much, but this guy is a consensus 4 star/top 250 guy across every site with offers from alabama, ohio state, michigan, florida st., etc. at a position where we desperately need a playmaker (TE). Do you really think he won't make the cut for this class?

If so, that makes getting Dalton Schultz that much more important.

I am almost completely certain in regards to Dickerson who we were recruiting primarily as a defensive player and not a TE.

We absolutely need Schultz who is the best TE prospect Stanford has seen to compliment Cotton, Taboada, and Hooper from last year's class. We all know our offense works best with at least one serious TE threat which means we need to recruit 1 or 2 TE's every year to avoid the converted-DE-to-TE experiments.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - pcgoode - 12-03-2013

"Bobby Okereke...His 6-1 frame is a concern---a bit short for the ideal linebacker, too short for DE--but he appears to have a 6-4 wingspan which may mitigate the height concern.  Plays at around 6-3." 

Rivals has Okereke listed as 6'3", which is the same height as Chase Thomas.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Bobby-Okereke-149282

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - washingtonismoney - 12-03-2013

(12-03-2013, 05:23 PM)pcgoode link Wrote:"Bobby Okereke...His 6-1 frame is a concern---a bit short for the ideal linebacker, too short for DE--but he appears to have a 6-4 wingspan which may mitigate the height concern.  Plays at around 6-3." 

Rivals has Okereke listed as 6'3", which is the same height as Chase Thomas.

Okereke measured at a combine at 6'1" this spring; unless he's undergone a growth spurt since then...: http://www.studentsports.com/blog/2013/03/19/l-a-nike-football-training-camp-testing-results/

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - AthleticsDynasty - 12-03-2013

(12-01-2013, 09:15 AM)PrinceLightfoot link Wrote:[quote author=gocard14 link=topic=8979.msg76184#msg76184 date=1385851515]
Secondly: With regards to Dickerson, are you for sure?  I know recruiting sites aren't worth much, but this guy is a consensus 4 star/top 250 guy across every site with offers from alabama, ohio state, michigan, florida st., etc. at a position where we desperately need a playmaker (TE). Do you really think he won't make the cut for this class?

If so, that makes getting Dalton Schultz that much more important.

I am almost completely certain in regards to Dickerson who we were recruiting primarily as a defensive player and not a TE.

We absolutely need Schultz who is the best TE prospect Stanford has seen to compliment Cotton, Taboada, and Hooper from last year's class. We all know our offense works best with at least one serious TE threat which means we need to recruit 1 or 2 TE's every year to avoid the converted-DE-to-TE experiments.
[/quote]

If we are looking for a potential big time receiving TE I think Cotton is the guy.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - PrinceLightfoot - 12-08-2013

(12-01-2013, 09:15 AM)PrinceLightfoot link Wrote:[quote author=gocard14 link=topic=8979.msg76184#msg76184 date=1385851515]
Secondly: With regards to Dickerson, are you for sure?  I know recruiting sites aren't worth much, but this guy is a consensus 4 star/top 250 guy across every site with offers from alabama, ohio state, michigan, florida st., etc. at a position where we desperately need a playmaker (TE). Do you really think he won't make the cut for this class?

If so, that makes getting Dalton Schultz that much more important.

I am almost completely certain in regards to Dickerson who we were recruiting primarily as a defensive player and not a TE.
[/quote]

Dickerson announced his commitment to Northwestern today.

https://twitter.com/Senor_Ocho/status/409674924135944194

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - socalstanfan1 - 12-09-2013

I don't want to minimize Dickerson choosing Northwestern, but if we were recruiting him primarily as an outside LB, then we are pretty well covered there: Alfieri, Veach, maybe  Okereke, (though if he is 6-1' maybe he fills out into a super athletic ILB), Kalambayi, and others. The guy we really need is Schultz, at least we need to keep bringing in TEs until a couple really establish themselves.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - AthleticsDynasty - 12-10-2013

Pretty sure Okreke and Alfieri are not being recruitewd as OLBs. Our guys at OLB are Veach, Tyler and Kalambayi.

I would imagine we would send another offer out for a OLB since we struck out on Nelson, Dickerson and likely Holuba

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - OutsiderFan - 12-10-2013

I wouldn't be surprised to see Harrison Phillips end up at OLB in the mold of Kevin Anderson if he can't put on much weight.  But I'm sure the Stanford coaches hope he's going to put on 30-40 pounds and be a DE.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - kuz - 12-11-2013

(12-10-2013, 03:16 PM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:I wouldn't be surprised to see Harrison Phillips end up at OLB in the mold of Kevin Anderson if he can't put on much weight.  But I'm sure the Stanford coaches hope he's going to put on 30-40 pounds and be a DE.
Apparently he's already at 260 and trying to put on weight. Can't see him ending up as an OLB.

Re: Stanford's 2014 recruting class: Defense - BostonCard - 12-18-2013

Here's what Chris Sailer wrote about Lekacz:

"Hayden is an outstanding kicking prospect. He has one of the strongest legs in his class and shows big time potential. Hits a brobdingnagian ball at times. Kickoffs are his current strength. Field goals are coming along nicely. A fine young man with a great attitude and work ethic. Has the potential to be one of the very best in this class. Looking forward to a great year ahead. Should challenge for a "TOP 12" spot this January in Vegas." -Chris Sailer