Given chance, freshmen show promise
When Stanford’s 2017 recruiting class was announced Feb. 1, it consisted of just 14 players. Yet it was touted as one of the best in program history.
It included the nation’s toprated pro-style quarterback, Davis Mills; the top tight end, Colby Parkinson, and five-star offensive tackles Walker Little and Foster Sarell.
Although the overall group was rated anywhere from 10th to 20th in the country by the recruiting services, on a perplayer rating system, it was ranked third by Rivals and fourth by Scout.
“Knowing we had a small class,” head coach David Shaw said at the time, “we were very targeted. … And we got the guys we targeted.”
At the time, it was thought that Little, Sarell, Parkinson and wide receivers Connor Wedington and Osiris St. Brown had the best chance to make immediate impacts. Except for St. Brown, who has missed the season with an injury, it worked out that way.
Going into the last game of the regular season, the class still looks excellent, but it will take another year or two to adequately judge it.
Little, Parkinson and Wedington have been regulars. Sarell has played in every game but mainly on special teams.
St. Brown is the brother of Equanimeous St. Brown, one of the leading receivers for No. 9 Notre Dame, which visits the No. 20 Cardinal on Saturday.
Little has been as advertised, a powerful pass protector who’s equally strong on the run. He started six games until he was hurt against Washington State on Nov. 4. Saturday’s game will be the third straight that he has missed.
“I don’t know that there’s been a better freshman offensive lineman in America,” Shaw said. “He never gave up a sack and (gave up) one quarterback pressure. It’s almost unheard of.”
Redshirt freshman Devery Hamilton has played well as Little’s replacement at left tackle, and so has redshirt junior A.T. Hall in nine starts at right tackle. Sarell very well might join Little as a starting tackle next year. “His future is very, very bright,” Shaw said.
Next year, Mills could mount a challenge against No. 2 QB Keller Chryst if not against starter K.J. Costello. Shaw calls Mills a natural passer.
“Most quarterbacks, you have to work on their footwork,” Shaw said. “He’s always balanced, always composed. He’s got a tight motion, throws the ball accurately. It’s an easy ball to catch. … I’m excited about his future.”
Wedington, back this week after an injury against Washington on Nov. 10, has 25 catches for 190 yards. He had a 43yard end-around against UCLA and has returned punts on occasion. He might wind up at running back; in high school in Washington, he rushed for 4,035 career yards.
He has been given several roles as a freshman, just as Christian McCaffrey and Bryce Love were. “His versatility is what first attracted us to him,” Shaw said. “He didn’t play a lot of receiver in high school.”
Parkinson has been a fine 6-foot-7 addition to the tightend mix. He has just nine catches, but four have been for touchdowns, two in his first game against Rice.
Another member of the class, linebacker Levani Damuni, left on an LDS mission and will delay enrollment for two years. The class also included two players who signed in 2015 and came back from church missions, fullback Houston Heimuli and outside linebacker Gabe Reid. Both redshirted, as did the rest of the class.