Stephen Herron doesn't view the months before he arrives at Stanford as a holiday from preparing to play for the Cardinal. He got the playbook a couple days after signing and was ready to be tested by defensive coordinator Lance Anderson during Big Visit.

“I’ve gotten through most of the base defense," he said. "I’m going into some other things now as far as learning blitzes and more extravagant things … game-ready stuff. After talking to Coach Anderson I think I’m in a position that if I do come in ready … that I have the possibility to be in that top four guys (at outside linebacker). If I’m not No. 1 or No. 2 I can solidify a spot within the first month of practice based off my athleticism and knowledge.”

The source of Herron's confidence is his dedication. He asked Anderson during an in-home visit what it would take for him to start or play in the rotation as a freshman. Anderson told him to learn the playbook as much as possible and add 10 to 20 pounds.

Herron has added 10 pounds and is up to 240 pounds. He plans to focus the next few months on making sure his weight is what his future strength and conditioning coach Shannon Turley wants, and not bad weight.

Some days he'll spend a couple hours on the playbook and sometimes it's for an hour. Rarely is it zero and the most he can remember is three hours studying the instructions that will direct his movements on the field.

He doesn't want to burn out and plans to use the month after he graduates high school, but before he gets to Stanford, to review everything he has learned up to that point.

Herron is determined to maximize his chances to play his first year and isn't shy about wanting to win a starting job. But he knows that will be tough with Jordan Fox and Casey Toohill back. They're the strong favorites to start and Gabe Reid spent most of last season playing significant snaps.

Curtis Robinson is moving from outside linebacker to inside, according to what Herron said he learned talking to Anderson during Big Visit. Robinson's move inside creates an opening for the fourth spot.

Herron is technically one of three outside linebacker commits, but Herron added his voice to the growing chorus who expect Joshua Pakola to play defensive end.

“He’s a big guy and he knows how to carry his weight down low. He’s putting on the weight naturally and he’s not trying to. He’s pretty well built.”

Herron and the Pakolas have become very close. They went to Honolulu for the Polynesian Bowl -- along with fellow signees Colby Bowman, Elijah Higgins, Austin Jones and Tristan Sinclair. Herron spent a lot of time with the Pakolas and would go out to dinner with them.

That experience and the Big Visit showed Herron the true reason he felt at home choosing to attend Stanford.

“Especially with this last visit I saw it wasn’t just the education at Stanford, it was more the people at Stanford. When I go to Stanford every single time you can see it in our commits, especially when you actually get to know them all, that the people at Stanford are a lot like me. And not just the football players, but the basketball players, some of the freshmen players’ dorm roommates, which none of them are athletes. We’re all pretty similar. It was more than just the education for me, in hindsight now, and I definitely realize we’re more alike than our love for sports.”