Priority OL recruit reacts to junior day and Carberry's departure

Ask Kenji Swanson a question and odds are good you're going to get a detailed and thoughtful answer. He was one of Kevin Carberry's first offers in the 2022 class, and Swanson built a great relationship with Carberry in the past eight months, but now Carberry is headed to the LA Rams.

"Coach Carberry is an amazing coach who I had a great relationship with," Swanson wrote in a direct message to Cardinal Sports Report. "It was unfortunate to hear he wouldn’t be with Stanford next season, but I’m glad he was blessed with such an amazing opportunity and I completely understand his decision.

"He and I will always have a good relationship and hopefully our paths cross again in the future. The Stanford coaching staff is filled with amazing people with much talent. They hire the best of the best. I have no doubt in my mind that Stanford will hire an amazing replacement and I’m excited to build a relationship with whoever that may be."

English is one of Swanson's favorite subjects and he loves to analyze a book and then write about it. He appears to apply the same skill set to his recruiting process when he takes part in virtual visits or conversations with coaches.

Swanson was one of 22 recruits who took part in the first virtual junior day held Feb. 13 and he said it was an "amazing experience" to go in depth about everything Stanford has to offer. He spoke with coaches, academic advisors, several players and he also took note of the other recruits participating the live Zoom event.

"The players were great to talk to, they had some really good input about the recruitment process and why Stanford is a great choice," he said. "They answered all of my questions and really gave me a better understanding of how special a place Stanford is. I got the opportunity to speak to multiple business professors and it was amazing being able to speak to them considering that is what I want to study."

Swanson told Cardinal Sports Report back in July that he will prioritize schools in his recruiting process that "feel like the best fit for me to reach my goals and prepare me for life after I graduate. I plan to major in business since I’ve always wanted to become an entrepreneur."

Current players addressed life after football and how a Stanford degree can set him up for success in whatever he wants to do.

"They also mentioned how Stanford has put them in a great spot academically and athletically. They provide internships and allow you to explore career options, all while playing on one of the best teams in the Pac-12. I’ve heard many times before that life is much easier and rewarding with a Stanford degree."

With offers from Ohio State, USC, Oregon and many other top programs, Swanson has plenty of good choices laid out in front of him. He says he's not in a rush to make a decision and would like to visit some schools in person before choosing one.

Stanford's next offensive line coach will need to hit the ground running to build a relationship with Swanson, but the good news for Stanford is that his interest in the university goes beyond a relationship with just one position coach.