2023 3-star OT Luke Baklenko commits to Stanford
On Wednesday, Stanford football secured a commitment from 2023 3-star offensive tackle Luke Baklenko out of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California. Baklenko visited Stanford back on April 22nd before getting offered a scholarship and most recently this past weekend on an official visit. Stanford extended Baklenko an offer shortly after his first visit back in April and made his Top Four at the end of May.
Like virtually every commit Stanford gets in any sport, Baklenko is drawn to Stanford’s incredible combination of academics and athletics.
“Incredible mix of academics and a great football program,” Baklenko said of Stanford in a recent interview with CardinalSportsReport.com. “Stanford has a long history of developing linemen to have a chance to play at the next level. Additionally I have a great relationship with Coach Heffernan.”
Stanford offensive line coach Terry Heffernan sees Baklenko as a player who can play interior offensive line positions in addition to tackle. Stanford likes guys who have that kind of versatility on the offensive line, making Baklenko a good fit for their program.
“Coach Heffernan is a great guy and he is a truly kind person,” Baklenko said. “I think his coaching style is great. It creates a family culture within the o-line. I think to play under his wing would show great improvement as both a player and a man. He likes my athleticism, leadership, and aggressiveness with the hands. His main message is that he sees me as flexible across multiple positions and is excited to work with me.”
Baklenko is the first offensive line commit for Stanford in the 2023 class and sixth commit overall if you include preferred walk-on Aidan Flintoft, a teammate of Baklenko’s at Oaks Christian. Getting a versatile lineman like Baklenko is really nice for Stanford. It’ll be interesting to see who else they add in the coming weeks as a good chunk of their recruits either just visited or will be visiting this upcoming weekend for officials.
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