2015 Class Overview: Defense
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David Shaw comment: "An explosive, athletic linebacker, could play inside, could play outside. We'll start him off on the inside. We'll see what kind of shape he's in. He'll be here all summer so we'll have a chance to get him ready. If he's ready to play year one, great. If not, we'll train him up. Excited for Sean to come back. I know he's excited to join his fellow Stanford Cardinal."
In addition to starring on defense, Barton, who will return from an LDS church mission to join the Cardinal for the 2015 campaign, was also a standout running back for his Woods Cross High School team, and he has the size and speed to hypothetically fill the power back role in Stanford's offense. However, the possibility of Barton switching to offense is minimal, Shaw said.
"One of the things I love to recruit is versatility," Shaw said. "There are a lot of guys on this team honestly that have played both ways at some point in their high school careers. To me, that's phenomenal. I was asked the same question a year ago about Joey Alfieri, who for a while was averaging 300 yards rushing per game. I actually still got a couple emails about playing him on offense.
"But (we have) not really (considered) the possibility. Because, in particular, in Sean's mind, Sean's a defensive player. (He) loves to play defense, he wants to play defense. We've got a lot of those guys that have been on both sides of the ball. I think that helps them understand the game of football better."
Bellevue (Washington), Bellevue
David Shaw comment: "(He's a) compact, explosive linebacker. One of these guys that when you look at the measurables, there are other guys who you would say are more this or more that. And then you put the film on and you don't find a more physical inside linebacker, a guy that reads the gaps and hits them full speed. When he hits people they go backwards. It's an exciting film to watch."
San Diego (Calif.), St. Augustine
David Shaw comment: "He's one of the top 10 corners in the nation. Smooth, athletic physical, a guy that's played on both sides of the ball, very very, rangy, can do a lot of things. But when you watch him he can cover and come up and hit you. He's a great addition for us, real excited about getting Frank to come to Stanford."
Buncom is expected to begin his Stanford career at cornerback.
"He has flexibility," Shaw said. "We're gong to start him at corner, get him some reps at corner and start getting him comfortable there. If he can move and be more versatile down the road, that's great, but I think he's really really natural as a corner. In particular bringing in him and Meeks at corner and our two safeties, in Reid and Edwards, I think we'll start all those guys where they are most natural."
Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian
David Shaw comment: "(Ben is) another guy who is top 10 in the nation at safety. You'll watch the first couple of clips and you'll see, in my opinion, the biggest hitter coming out of high school football this year at safety. He'll knock you out. He's just one of those guys. At the same time he's good in coverage, he's great against the run, (he's) just a guy you have to take notice of. An outstanding football player. You'll see him on special teams, you'll see him on defense. You'll see him do a variety of things. There's really not much he can't do on the defensive side as far as being able to run with receivers, cover tight ends, come downhill in the running game and then once that ball is up in the air he can go get it or he can go hit the guy that's trying to get it."
Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep
David Shaw comment: "Big, physical, versatile linebacker. He can play inside, he can play outside. He came to camp last summer also and just impressed us at camp so much. I have history recruiting that school. I have a history with that coach there. I know they work them extremely hard. I know that they teach them properly. And I know that they have their priorities straight because it's a really tough school as well. He's got a great family background, great environment around that prepares him for a place like this. When you put the film on he's going to hit you. He's a physical kid. He'll play on special teams. We might start him on the outside as a linebacker but he has some versatility."
Maryville (Tennessee)
David Shaw comment: "When Dylan walks in the door you're going to think of a couple guys: You're going to think of Josh Mauro, you're going to think of Henry Anderson. Big, physical, long. He's actually coming in a little bit bigger than those guys came in as. He's already in the 280's. Mentality of a defensive lineman, just big, physical and long. We're really excited about the things he can do. You can see him move laterally with (what) a lot of those guys that are over 6-foot-4 1/2, 6-foot-5 can't usually do. We think he's going to make an impact for us as well."
Given Stanford's lack of depth along the defensive line, there might be a need for either Annan, or fellow 2015 defensive line signee Dylan Jackson, to play early.
"We're not very deep there," Shaw said. "We recruited these guys out of need and they have the ability so don't be surprised if Dylan or Wesley has to play relatively early, which would be fine by us as well."
San Diego, Del Norte
David Shaw comment: "Our last addition for the day. Quenton's another guy you see him, he doesn't look like a high school football player. He's physical, he's long, he's muscular. To put him out there on an island you feel good about him. He came to camp and really really impressed us. We saw him as a receiver. And boy, his receiver film was exciting, just big play after big play, catch and run. And we got excited about him. Then, he came here as a corner and wanted to show us what he could do as a corner and was equally as impressive. His father, Ron Meeks, longtime NFL coach, has really trained him well. He's as technically sound a corner as you'll see coming out of high school football partially because of his home training and the drills that he did growing up. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a chance to get on the field early as well."
Provo (Utah) Timpview
David Shaw comment: "Explosive and athletic pass rusher. When he fills out he's got a chance to be that open side defensive end pass rusher and possibly an outside linebacker in our 3-4 scheme. But Gabe is an outstanding football player."
Geismar (La.) Dutchtown
David Shaw comment: "(Reid signing with Stanford) may be a surprise to some. Very highly recruited. I believe he's unbelievably underrated as a safety. This is a young safety that can cover as well as most corners but he can also play the middle of the field and bring the wood. He is a physical, physical player. Big hitter, big tackler, great in coverage. He's going to be an outstanding college football player."
Despite Reid's many family ties to home-state LSU, which offered him a scholarship in early December, Shaw was not surprised that Reid opted to ink with the Cardinal instead of the Tigers.
"Not really, I wasn't surprised," he said. "We knew we had a good chance. His family has always stressed education. Both he and his brother have always been great students. And this is a place for great students who want to play football. So we knew we had a chance, we knew we had the opportunity. He came out here on a visit and absolutely had a blast. And part of our visits are not just showing them all kinds of fun and exciting things. Our visits are about getting them around our professors, getting them around our student-athletes and our students and letting them feel the environment and he felt like he fit here. He got along extremely well with our guys. (He) could see himself being a part of this locker room and accomplishing some great things in and out of the classroom here."
San Diego, Cathedral Catholic
David Shaw comment: "You see quickness as a pass rusher. You see a guy with a great frame that's going to put some weight on that frame. (He's) Chase Thomas-like to a certain degree when you really watch him. Energetic, athletic, plays with an attitude. Just one of those guys you like being around. He's going to make a lot of plays here for this football team."
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