Flash Forward Friday: Stanford Football Freshman to Watch Out For

Stanford football is entering a pivotal season in 2025. Coming off of four straight 3-9 campaigns, the Cardinal are hungry to turn the tables and return to being the prominent program they once were. In the midst of a lot of change, most notably the firing of head coach Troy Taylor and bringing in an interim in Frank Reich, the Cardinal have continued to trudge along and prepare full force for the fall.

Recruiting continues to be a big part of the Cardinal's plans, with general manager Andrew Luck leading the charge in that department. And this offseason, the Cardinal have managed to sign a bunch of high level players--most recently landing four-star Brophy Prep wide receiver, Daylen Sharper. With Sharper now in the mix for the program's future in 2026, here are the three most important incoming freshmen for Stanford football in 2025.

WR JonAnthony Hall

Returning only one reception from 2024's team, the Cardinal were aggressive when it came to bringing in freshman receivers. It's possible that Hall will be the most productive one right out of the gate. Standing at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Hall may not be the biggest guy out there, but his strong redzone skills will instantly help make up for the loss of Elic Ayomanor.

A physical player, Hall will go up and try to make any play, while his speed helps him create good separation from defensive backs and get open. Hall will have some competition, but one of the highest ranked recruits that the Cardinal are bringing in for this season, it would not be a shock to see him get a big role by Week Zero against Hawaii.

DL Adam Shovlin

Losing edge rusher David Bailey hurts badly. Stanford's sack leader the last two seasons, Bailey brought the firepower to the defensive line and caused issues for opposing offensive linemen. Replacing him will be hard, but if Shovlin ends up being as good as advertised, then the Cardinal could be in a pretty good spot.

At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Shovlin is very similar in size to Bailey. With a strong motor, he will bring much needed physicality on the defensive side of the ball. The ACC is known for good quarterback play and if the Cardinal want any chance of success, getting to the quarterback and disrupting the opponent's timing will be vital.

OL Josh Williams

Over the last few seasons, Stanford has seen its offense struggle in all areas. A big factor in those struggles has been the inconsistent offensive line play. The Cardinal will see a handful of players from last season return, but given the performance history over the last couple of seasons, no job is secure.

Williams, who did not allow a single sack during his final two seasons of high school football, is a big body (6-foot-4, 300 pounds) and is also versatile, giving the program options as to how to use him. If the Cardinal want to see their fortunes on offense improve, protecting the quarterback and opening up running lanes for ball carriers are the top two priorities--something Williams has shown he's very good at doing.