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At Stanford: Three-year letterwinner who began his Cardinal career as a wide receiver but was converted to cornerback after his freshman season ... Ryan was one of five true freshman to play in 1998 ... He caught two passes as a reserve flanker and earned his first letter... He was converted to corner for the '99 season and earned his second letter as a backup and special teams player ... A year ago, he was one of the team leaders in the secondary ... One of five defensive players to start all 11 games ... His continued improvement will be a key factor for the Cardinal in 2001 ... Possesses excellent cover skills and speed and the ability to make plays.
Coaches' Comments: "I think Ryan has steadily improved each season and I expect him to have a super season in 2001. I'm very pleased with his progress. He's been steady and solid the past few years, but I expect him to be even better this year. His footwork and speed have improved. His combine times and marks have improved across the board. He's a very physical and intelligent player."- secondary coach Denny Schuler
The 2000 Season:Moved into the starting spot at left cornerback and started all 11 games in 2000 ... Finished the season with 48 total tackles, nine pass break-ups, three interceptions and two tackles-for-loss ... Season-high seven tackles at Notre Dame ... Tied for the team lead in interceptions ... Had two interceptions in Stanford's 27-24 win over fifth-ranked Texas in game #3 ... Both of his interceptions came in the second half, including one at the Stanford four yard line to thwart a Longhorn scoring drive ... His other interception came a week later against Arizona.
The 1999 Season: Converted from wide receiver to cornerback prior to the season ... Saw extensive playing time in nickel and dime situations and on special teams ... Recorded 12 tackles, four pass break-ups and one fumble recovery ... Posted a season-high five tackles vs. USC.
The 1998 Season: One of five true freshmen to earn a letter in 1998 ... Played a reserve role at flanker ... Caught two passes for 40 yards ... Had a 34-yard reception vs. Arizona in game #2 and a six-yard reception against USC in game #9.
In High School: Selected to SuperPrep's All-Farwest Team and to the All-Western Region Team by PrepStar ... Played both wide receiver and free safety at nearby Skyline High School in Oakland ... Caught 17 passes for 340 yards and seven TDs as a senior while leading his team to a perfect 12-0 record and the Oakland City title ... Also had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and averaged over 26 yards per punt return in 1997 ... Second-Team All-Oakland Athletic League as a wide receiver in '97 ... Competed in track and field for three years in HS ... Best marks included 48.0 in the 400m and 46-7 1/4 in the triple jump.
Personal Information: Public policy major ... Father, David Fernandez, played professional football with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fernandez' Career Statistics
| Year | UT | AT | TT | Sack/Yds | TFL/Yds | Int |
| 1999 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 39 | 9 | 48 | 0/0 | 2/5 | 3 |
| Totals | 49 | 11 | 60 | 0/0 | 2/5 | 3 |