Stanford felt like home for Rivals Top 100 quarterback Tanner McKee. The Corona Centennial quarterback visited Stanford so often he lost count and the Cardinal were a strong favorite for the LDS mission-bound McKee from the moment they offered July 28.

The people at Stanford were a big part of what sold McKee on the Cardinal over top contenders such as Alabama, Texas, Washington, BYU and others. He created an especially close bond with new Tavita Pritchard, who was promoted to offensive coordinator when Mike Bloomgren became head coach at Rice.

“The thing i love about coach Tavita is he is genuine,” he told Cardinal Sports Report. “I have always felt i can trust him. He’s a great coach and loves teaching football. I also like the fact he is young and he is smart. He relates well to the players because he was in their shoes just a few years ago. When we were at breakfast together a few weeks ago we had a great conversation about life and the school. I’m very comfortable with him. It feels like I have known him forever.”

McKee won’t start his academic and football journey on The Farm for another two years. The devout member of the LDS church will go on a two-year mission before enrolling. But that delay doesn’t dampen the excitement for the Cardinal coaches of knowing they’ve landed a special talent.

McKee is listed on Rivals as a 6-foot-6, 220-pound pocket passer, but he is a mobile athlete who can affect games with his legs. He has a power arm that can make every throw and led Corona Centennial against some of the best competition that Southern California, and the country, has to offer.