[Austroturf]

I saw the Chargers-Texans game and was really impressed with Mills' maturity, skill, arm-strength and decision-making.  Burkhead was also impressive for the Texans.  At the end of the game, there was a shot of Mills and Sarell talking on the field.  First, it's great to see the progress Mills has been making in the NFL; and, second, I sure hope Sarell finds his footing and blossoms as a professional.  But I was also left with the thought that those two were five-star recruits and top members of our vaunted 2017 recruiting class (ranked #14), yet neither player had nearly the expected impact on the Cardinal football program.  

Mills is arguably the most talented QB Stanford has had since Luck, yet his tenure was a blip on the radar.  And Sarell (together with Little) never became the anchor of a multi-year dominant O-Line.  As we all celebrate the 2022 recruiting class (now ranked #16 in the nation), the 2017 recruiting class provides a cautionary tale of rankings vs. on-the-field results.  From that 2017 recruiting class, the players with the greatest overall impact were Parkinson (4 star), Adebo (4 star) and Dalman (3 star).   The three 5 star recruits either faded (Little), never really panned out (Sarell) or played too few games (Mills).  Wedington also never really lived up to his billing.  This may be the new normal with the transfer portal and early exits to the NFL. But I am convinced coaching and player development also play a crucial role, and I hope the staff does better with the talent they get in 2022.

[Austroturf]

I saw the Chargers-Texans game and was really impressed with Mills' maturity, skill, arm-strength and decision-making.  Burkhead was also impressive for the Texans.  At the end of the game, there was a shot of Mills and Sarell talking on the field.  First, it's great to see the progress Mills has been making in the NFL; and, second, I sure hope Sarell finds his footing and blossoms as a professional.  But I was also left with the thought that those two were five-star recruits and top members of our vaunted 2017 recruiting class (ranked #14), yet neither player had nearly the expected impact on the Cardinal football program.  

Mills is arguably the most talented QB Stanford has had since Luck, yet his tenure was a blip on the radar.  And Sarell (together with Little) never became the anchor of a multi-year dominant O-Line.  As we all celebrate the 2022 recruiting class (now ranked #16 in the nation), the 2017 recruiting class provides a cautionary tale of rankings vs. on-the-field results.  From that 2017 recruiting class, the players with the greatest overall impact were Parkinson (4 star), Adebo (4 star) and Dalman (3 star).   The three 5 star recruits either faded (Little), never really panned out (Sarell) or played too few games (Mills).  Wedington also never really lived up to his billing.  This may be the new normal with the transfer portal and early exits to the NFL. But I am convinced coaching and player development also play a crucial role, and I hope the staff does better with the talent they get in 2022.