The Stanford Cardinal are in the midst of a terrible stretch under head coach David Shaw, winning no more than four games in their last three full seasons. Fielding a young roster, the Cardinal are relying upon their handful of veterans for 2023. We’re breaking down the Cardinal’s 2024 NFL Draft prospects and roster this fall.
Stanford Cardinal Roster and Depth Chart Changes
Despite being a bad team last year, five Stanford players heard their names called in the 2023 NFL Draft, and two more signed as undrafted free agents. Losing quarterback Tanner McKee, wide receivers Michael Wilson and Elijah Higgins, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, and safety Kendall Williamson are massive. The Cardinal also saw tackles Walter Rouse and Myles Hinton depart, and each could be top-75 picks next year.
With Stanford’s difficult admissions standards, the Cardinal only added three transfers to their roster. There are only six seniors on the two-deep, meaning they have a limited pool of prospects to look at. Shaw will have to quickly get his youngsters up to speed, or else they’ll struggle just to compete each week.
Stanford NFL Draft Prospects
Benjamin Yurosek, TE
The only prospect on Stanford entering the season is, of course, a tight end. Benjamin Yurosek is the latest from the program to be heading to the next level. Standing 6’4″, 243 pounds, Yurosek has been productive as he’s moved around from an in-line tight end and slot receiver.
Yurosek isn’t overly fast or sudden in space but he’s competitive and fights for every yard. That same mindset translates to all areas of his game, proving to be a very good blocker who has great technique and instincts. He’s a coordinated receiver despite not being explosive, so he’ll have Day 3 value as a backup.
Stanford Cardinal Schedule
- Week 1
BYE - Week 2
Sept. 1: at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors - Week 3
Sept. 9: at USC Trojans - Week 4
Sept. 16: vs. Sacramento State Hornets - Week 5
Sept. 23: vs. Arizona Wildcats - Week 6
Sept. 30: vs. Oregon Ducks - Week 7
BYE - Week 8
Oct. 13: at Colorado Buffaloes - Week 9
Oct. 21: vs. UCLA Bruins - Week 10
Oct. 28: vs. Washington Huskies - Week 11
Nov. 4: at Washington State Cougars - Week 12
Nov. 11: at Oregon State Beavers - Week 13
Nov. 18: vs. California Golden Bears - Week 14
Nov. 25: vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Week 15
BYE
