Stanford hosted several top 2020 recruits from St. Louis High
Now more than ever college coaching staffs have to recruit two classes at once, and recently that has been apparent with Stanford hosting multiple 2020 recruits last weekend. The Cardinal welcomed several top prospects in that class from St. Louis High in Honolulu.
Linebacker Jordan Botelho, nose guard Stanley McKenzie and wide receiver Matt Sykes are already making a name for themselves on the recruiting trail. They stopped by Stanford Saturday before competing in the Bay Area Rivals camp Sunday.
“It’s always good when you know people,” said Botelho, who won the camp’s linebacker award. “You feel more welcome and it’s a better experience. I had a good experience and I liked the campus.”
It was the second time on campus for Botelho and McKenzie, who both camped at Stanford last June after their freshman year. It’s common for athletes at the high schools in Hawaii to camp together on the mainland, and Stanford has become a popular spot for St. Louis, Punahou and Kahuku high school recruits in particular.
“It was my first camp on the mainland and I was a little overwhelmed in the beginning, but I adjusted quickly,” McKenzie recalled. “I was stoked that I got chosen to get reps with the upperclassmen. I had a blast competing with them. The highlight for me was winning the ‘King of the Hill’ drill the first night. I learned a lot and the best part for me was the physicality of some of the players there. It was great atmosphere to just compete.”
An opportunity to face top competition and get exposure is a big draw for athletes to make the journey from Hawaii. Sykes appears to be an example of someone who has grabbed hold of that opportunity starting with the Army Combine in January. He has caught Stanford’s attention with a 4.2 GPA and his athleticism.
At The Opening regional in Santa Clara March 4 he scored a 102.96 SPARQ: 6-3, 192 pounds, 4.73 40, 4.34 shuttle, 41 powerball and 31.9 vertical. He was second among the 2020 athletes there behind only teammate Botelho.
Sykes’ sophomore season was limited due to a broken thumb and his Hudl only shows three varsity games. But his skillset is readily apparent.
Sykes spent most of his Saturday visit with new wide receiver coach Bobby Kennedy, including watching film: “That was dope.
“He’s just a great guy. I like how he coaches. He’s always full of energy and he’s always positive. I like the way he coaches up his wide receivers on how to run their routes. It makes me feel like family and he really sees potential in me.”
Sykes’ parents joined him on the trip and he credits them with the work ethic to take advanced courses as a sophomore.
“From a young age my parents instilled in me that the academic foundation comes before athletics. That’s always something that you can fall back on. They’ve always told me how great a school Stanford is and it has always been in my mind. Stanford to me is a dream school.”
The academics at Stanford also appeal to Botelho, who is interested in studying business. When Cal offered he was impressed by the reputation of the Haas School of Business and will factor that into his college decision.
A business connection to Stanford also stood out to McKenzie.
“I didn't realize how much people were impacted by Stanford and it's amazing how they all came back and contributed back to the school,” he said. “One the cool ones to learn about was Phil Knight. I also enjoyed the facilities and how they really catered toward the athletes academically and making it convenient to study anywhere, anytime, even if it's in the locker room. They really made it a point to make me understand that at Stanford you’re not just in it to play football, but it's an experience that will impact your life forever especially in your career.”