Sinclair will bring an uncommon work ethic to Stanford

It was not a lock a month ago that Tristan Sinclair would commit to Stanford , the opposite was true. The talented linebacker was likely headed to play for one of the Cardinal's top rivals, Notre Dame, before he had his mind changed and ultimately committed Wednesday.

Sinclair's father, Andy, played center at Stanford from 1985-88, but Tristan was set on blazing his own path with his college destination.

"That was a reason why I was looking elsewhere, originally," he told Cardinal Sports Report. "I really wanted to do my own thing and not just follow someone else’s footsteps. I just want to make sure people know I’m my own person."

The Opening Finals that started June 30 became a major turning point in Sinclair's thinking. There were four recruits at the event committed to Stanford and they went to work convincing Sinclair he fit best as a Cardinal.

"At the Opening the Stanford guys recruited me a ton," he said. "They really got in my head and made me start thinking about Stanford again. Before then I was thinking elsewhere but after meeting them they really changed my mindset to reconsider."

Sinclair is a top student at San Ramon Valley High in Danville (Calif.) and he described academics at the "main factor in the decision".

"The opportunity to receive a degree from Stanford and play high level football is something that’s hard to turn down," he said.

So, what is Stanford getting from the linebacker who burst onto the scene in March with a great showing at The Opening regional in Santa Clara? Someone who showed the potential to be great long before that. San Ramon Valley head coach Aaron Becker offered his assessment.

"“He’s a really motivated young man. He wants to succeed and in not just football but academically and in life in general. He’s really an incredible kid.

"“It’s above and beyond what we ask of our kids," Becker said of the time Sinclair puts into his own development. "And I think it’s above and beyond what most high school programs would expect of their kids. He does it all on his own to put in the extra time and strength training.

"“He is incredibly athletic. He has a lot of range. He covers ground really quickly. He’s an incredible tackler. That’s just on the defensive side of the ball. He plays offense for us and runs the ball, runs it downhill with authority. He is so versatile. We can probably play him at a handful of positions. In college he is really going to be valuable to be able to play special teams, defense -- he can run, tackle, block and catch. He can do it all, really.”

Sinclair's maturity can be summed up by how he often dressed for junior day visits to schools, especially his first such visit to a campus.

“A coach would call me later and say that it was impressive he showed up in a suit and tie. All the other kids are in their athletic attire and don’t look inappropriate, and he showed up in a suit and tie because he wanted to make an impression like it’s a business arrangement.”