It's been said plenty of times: Stanford's academic reputation is a big draw for those who care about academics and are admissible. But the pool of such players is limited. Some years there are enough to make a great recruiting class. Some years there aren't enough, or at least there aren't enough for "plan B" to be a great recruit too if "plan A" says no or gets unexpectedly dinged.
This situation is a fact, not an excuse.
This situation is a fact, not an excuse.