Seven four-star players highlight Troy Taylor’s second recruiting class at Stanford, including Mater Dei quarterback Elijah Brown, two star teammates from Miami and a Canadian lineman who is in remission from Stage 4 lymphoma less than a year after his diagnosis.
Because of Stanford’s high academic standards, high school recruiting remains vital to the Cardinal’s success, even in the transfer-portal era.
In total, the Cardinal on Wednesday signed 23 players who will join Stanford for its first year in the ACC.
Brown, who will enroll early next month, was ranked as high as the No. 7 quarterback (Rivals) and is currently ranked No. 15 (233 overall) by ESPN.
Defensive end Dylan Stephenson and tight end Benjamin Blackburn from Christopher Columbus High in Miami, Florida will also join the team. Stephenson is the 203rd-ranked overall prospect and Blackburn was ranked as high as the No. 10 tight end.
Stanford’s top overall recruit, though, is Benedict Umeh of Toronto and Avon Old Farms School (Avon, Conn.). Rivals ranks Umeh at No. 180 in this class, but he did not play this season after receiving his lymphoma diagnosis this spring. He underwent chemotherapy treatment back in Canada and was told in November that he was in remission.
Below is the full list of Stanford signees:
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Joe Asiain, DL, 6-3/295, Edison, N.J. (Saint Peter’s Prep)
Connor Bachhuber, DL, 6-5/255, San Clemente (San Clemente)
Aiden Black, TE, 6-4/235, Dingmans Ferry, Pa. (Delaware Valley)
Benjamin Blackburn, TE, 6-6/245, Miami, Fla. (Columbus)
Elijah Brown, QB, 6-2/205, Huntington Beach (Mater Dei)
Ziron Brown, OL, 6-3/295, Waveland, Miss. (Bay)
Darrius Davis, S, 6-0/185, Metairie, La. (Archbishop Rummel)
Chris Davis Jr., RB, 5-10/185, Picayune, Miss.(Picayune Memorial)
Chase Farrell, WR, 5-10/177, Thousand Oaks (Oaks Christian School)
Micah Ford, RB, 6-0/210, Toms River, N.J. (Toms River North)
Hayden Gunter, OL, 6-7/265, Denton, Texas (Denton)
Kahlil House, OL, 6-5/300, Warner Robins, Ga. (Houston County)
Sam Mattingly, ILB, 6-2/225, Magnolia, Texas (Magnolia West)
Emmett Mosley V, WR, 6-2/190. Chicago, Ill. (Santa Margarita Catholic, Ca.)
Jacobi Murray, DL, 6-1/280, Conyers, Ga. (Holy Innocents’ Episcopal)
Brandon Nicholson, CB, 6-0/185, Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis University School)
Javion Randall, CB, 5-11/175, Richmond, Va. (Henrico)
Cam Richardson, CB, 6-2/185, Irvington, N.J. (Irvington)
Dylan Stephenson, OLB, 6-4/235, Miami, Fla. (Columbus)
Jaylen’Dai Sumlin, S, 6-2/190, Castaic (Sierra Canyon)
Cole Tabb, RB, 5-8/190, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (Choctawhatchee)
Bo Tate, ILB, 6-0/205, Salt Lake City, Utah (Corner Canyon)
Benedict Umeh, DL, 6-5/270, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Avon Old Farms School, Conn.)
