STANFORD, Calif. - Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw announced Wednesday that 15 student-athletes will continue their academic and athletic careers at Stanford.
"Today we see a great start to the 2018 class," said Shaw. "This class has speed, size and athleticism. I'm grateful to all of these young men and their families for their efforts in the classroom and on the field to get us to the excitement of today."
Some of the nation's finest high school talent will converge upon Stanford from eight states: California (4), Georgia (3), Alabama (2), Texas (2), Arizona, Maryland, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
Eleven members of the 2018 recruiting class officially submitted their National Letter of Intent and Financial Aid Agreement to Stanford University. Four more officially confirmed their enrollment at Stanford starting in the fall of 2018.
Stanford signed eight recruits who received a four-star rating from recruiting outlets, with five signees ranking among their respective state's top-10 recruits. Seven signees rank among the top-25 nationally at their position.
Ten positions will be replenished with the incoming class, including multiple running backs, defensive ends, outside linebackers and cornerbacks.
Ethan Bonner
Cornerback • 6-1 • 175 • The Woodlands • The Woodlands, Texas
The Bonner File
• Prepped at The Woodlands (Texas) under head coach Mark Schmid
• Varsity letters in track and football
• Nation's 73rd-best cornerback by ESPN, 98th by 247Sports
• Five interceptions, 81 tackles, nine passes defended and two forced fumbles during prep career
• 2017 all-district first team
• 2017 all-county first team
• Led team to 2017 track and field state title
• Set Texas 6A state record in 4x200-meter relay
• Born in Meridian, Miss.
• Full name is Ethan Kelly Bonner
• Son of Alan and Trisha Bonner
• One sibling, Olivia
Thomas Booker
Defensive End • 6-4 • 270 • Gilman • Ellicott City, Md.
The Booker File
• Prepped at Gilman (Md.) under head coach Timothy Holley
• Varsity letters in basketball, track and football
• Four-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN and PrepStar
• Nation's 247th-best recruit by Rivals, 259th by ESPN, 211th by PrepStar
• Nation's 18th-best defensive end by PrepStar and 24th by ESPN
• Nation's 16th-best strong-side defensive end by 247Sports
• Nation's 17th-best defensive tackle by Rivals
• Maryland's seventh-best recruit by Rivals, ESPN and PrepStar, 12th by 247Sports
• 39 tackles, five sacks, 9.0 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two passes defended as a senior
• 77 tackles, four sacks, 14.0 tackles for loss, one interception, two blocked field goals as a junior
• Seven catches for 112 yards and one touchdown as a junior
• 12 receptions for 151 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore
• 10 tackles, six sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss in four games as a sophomore
• 2016 USA Today all-state first team
• 2017 All-Metro first team
• Two-time all-conference first team
• Baltimore Touchdown Club Super 22 selection
• Led team to 2015 state title
• Led team to two football league titles
• Led team to two indoor and outdoor track and field league titles
• Full name is Earl Thomas Booker IV
• Son of Ava Lias-Booker and Earl Thomas Booker III
• Father played football at Wisconsin, started at outside linebacker as a freshman
• Sisters, Sydney, attends law school at Duke
• Sister played junior varsity tennis at Princeton, fluent in Mandarin and Spanish
• Cousin, Corbin Booker, played lacrosse at Brown
• Uncle, Richard E. Lias, played football at St. Francis
• Senior class vice president
• Chinese Honor Society
• Attended Stanford High School Summer College Program
• High school teammate of Stanford's Devery Hamilton and Dorian Maddox
Andres Fox
Defensive End • 6-4 • 240 • Mobile Christian • Mobile, Ala.
The Fox File
• Prepped at Mobile Christian (Ala.) for head coach Ronnie Cottrell
• Varsity letters in football, basketball and track and field
• Nation's 133rd-best recruit by ESPN, 24th by PrepStar
• Nation's 13th-best defensive end by ESPN, 17th by PrepStar
• Nation's 21st-best weak-side defensive end by Rivals, 23rd by 247Sports
• Alabama's sixth-best recruit by ESPN, seventh by PrepStar, ninth by 247Sports, 11th by Rivals
• 88 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, seven forced fumbles as a senior
• 18 sacks as a junior
• 2017 all-state first team
• Three-time team captain
• Led team to state runner-up finish in 2016
• 2016 Mobile Christian Physics Student of the Year
• Second in javelin throw at 12-under Junior Olympics
• Full name is Andres Leonard Fox
• Son of Barry Beard and Lakrisha Padgett
• Mother was born in California
• One sister, Hailey
• Uncle, Eric Yeldon, played baseball for the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs
• Enjoys fishing
• First Mobile Christian product to attend Stanford
Donjae Logan
Cornerback • 5-11 • 180 • Desert Ridge • Mesa, Ariz.
The Logan File
• Prepped at Desert Ridge (Ariz.) under head coach Jeremy Hathcock
• Varsity letters in track and football
• Arizona's eight-best recruit by Rivals and PrepStar, 15th by ESPN, 17th by 247Sports
• 39 tackles (29 solo tackles) and five interceptions as a senior
• 37 tackles (33 solo tackles) and two interceptions as a junior
• 72 rushes for 625 yards and six touchdowns, 14 catches for 307 yards as a junior
• 53 tackles (35 solo), 38 carries for 431 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore
• 2016-17 Desert Ridge Athlete of the Year
• 2017 all-state first team
• Two-time all-region first team
• Led team to 2017 conference title
• School's record holder in long jump (23-4), triple jump (45-9) and 4x100-meter relay (42.37)
• Born in Torrance, Calif.
• Full name is Donjae Dewayne Logan
• Son of Donnique and Darrell Logan
• Three siblings -- DeMauree, Darrielle and Davaughn
• Uncle, Richard Holt, played football at Arizona
• Stanford assistant Duane Akina was the defensive backs coach for Holt at Arizona
Trey Stratford
Offensive Guard/Tackle • 6-4 • 275 • Allen • Allen, Texas
The Stratford File
• Prepped at Allen (Texas) High School under head coach Terry Gambill
• Varsity letters in track and football
• Four-star recruit by PrepStar
• Nation's 298th-best recruit by PrepStar
• Nation's fifth-best center by Rivals, 10th by 247Sports
• Nation's 23rd-best offensive tackle by PrepStar, 34th by ESPN
• Texas' 38th-best recruit by PrepStar
• 2016 all-county first team
• 2016 all-district first team
• 2016 all-state honorable mention
• Three-time district champion and state semifinalist
• 2016 Allen High School Lineman of the Year
• Full name is Randolph Stratford III
• Son of Denise and Randolph Stratford, Jr.
• Three siblings -- John, Bryce and Justin
• National Honor Society
• AP Scholar with Distinction
• First family member to play college football for a Power 5 program
Jay Symonds
Fullback • 6-3 • 251 • Buckingham Browne & Nichols • Melrose, Mass.
The Symonds File
• Prepped at Buckingham Browne & Nichols (Mass.) under head coach Mike Wiley
• Varsity letters in football and basketball
• First true eighth grader to start on high school's varsity football team
• Five-year varsity starter
• Massachusetts's third-best recruit by Rivals, ESPN and PrepStar, fifth by 247Sports
• Nation's second-best fullback by 247Sports and PrepStar
• 96 career receptions for 1,438 yards and 16 touchdowns
• 2017 Mass Prep Stars Preseason Super Team
• 2017 BB&N team captain
• 2017 Hugh Caldera Bowl finalist
• 2016 ITHMA all-state
• 2016 Mass Prep Stars All-State Super Team
• 2016 Rivals/Under Armour Select Camp
• 2016 ISL champion
• 2016 Ken O'Keefe Bowl champion
• Two-time all-conference first team
• Full name is Jay Patrick Symonds Jr.
• Son of Jay and Lisa Symonds
• Father played football at Bentley
• Mother played volleyball at Salem State
• One sibling, Holden
• Uncle, Jon Symonds, played football at Massachusetts
• Uncle, Jeff Murray, played baseball at Merrimack
• Maternal 11th great-grandfather was a passenger on the Mayflower
• Maternal great-grandfather was Purple Heart recipient, survived Normandy beach storming
• Maternal grandfather was drafter on design team for original Stealth Bomber
• Enjoys drawing and creative writing
• Played over three quarters of a football game with a collapsed lung
Tobe Umerah
Outside Linebacker • 6-4 • 240 • Stratford • Macon, Ga.
The Umerah File
• Prepped at Stratford (Ga.) under head coach Mark Farriba
• Varsity letters in football, basketball and track
• Four-star recruit by ESPN and PrepStar
• Nation's 280th-best recruit by ESPN, 335th by PrepStar
• Nation's 22nd-best weak-side defensive end by Rivals
• Nation's 27th-best defensive end by ESPN and PrepStar
• Georgia's 33rd-best recruit by PrepStar, 35th by ESPN
• 343 tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 16 sacks during prep career
• 91 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, two sacks as a senior
• 86 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks as a junior
• 128 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks as a sophomore
• Two-time Georgia 7A Defensive Player of the Year
• 2016 Macon Telegraph All-Middle Georgia
• 2016 Atlanta Journal Constitution all-state
• 2015 all-region
• Born in Philadelphia, Pa.
• Full name is Tobe Chuka Umerah
• Son of Dr. Emeka and Dr. Anayo Umerah
• Two siblings -- Kosi and Oge
• Family is of Igbo heritage
Jack West
Quarterback • 6-4 • 210 • Saraland • Saraland, Ala.
The West File
• Prepped at Saraland (Ala.) under head coach Jeff Kelly
• Four varsity letters in football
• Four-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN and PrepStar
• Nation's 82nd-best recruit by ESPN, 107th by PrepStar
• Nation's fourth-best quarterback by PrepStar
• Nation's fifth-best pocket passer by ESPN
• Nation's ninth-best pro-style quarterback by Rivals
• Alabama's second-best overall recruit by ESPN and PrepStar, eighth by Rivals
• 4,879 passing yards and 56 touchdowns during prep career
• 1,907 yards passing and 22 touchdowns as a senior
• 1,225 yards passing and 15 touchdowns as a junior
• 1,575 yards passing and 16 touchdowns as a sophomore
• WKRG Player of the Year
• 2018 Under Armour All America
• Alabama/Mississippi All-Star
• Born in Montgomery, Ala.
• Full name is Jack Mason West
• Son of Ann and Dr. Jason West
• One sibling, Mechaley
• National Honor Society
• Montgomery Rotary Club Service Above Self Award
• Guitarist
Kendall Williamson
Cornerback • 6-1 • 190 • Brookwood • Snellville, Ga.
The Williamson File
• Prepped at Brookwood (Ga.) under head coach Phillips Jones
• Varsity letters in football and track
• Four-star recruit by Rivals and PrepStar
• Nation's 264th-best recruit by PrepStar
• Nation's 26th-best cornerback by PrepStar, 32nd by Rivals
• Georgia's 25th-best recruit by PrepStar, 36th by Rivals
• 94 tackles, four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), six pass breakups as a senior
• Team captain
• 2017 all-county second team
• 2017 all-region first team
• 2016 all-state academic
• Led team to 2017 regional title
• Son of Bethel and Ursula Williamson
• Full name is Kendall Tyler Williamson
• One brother, Chris
• Chris played football at Florida and Minnesota
• Georgia Certificate of Merit Scholar
• Two-time Brookwood High School Scholar Athlete
• 4.0 grade-point average
Michael Wilson
Wide Receiver • 6-2 • 190 • Chaminade • Simi Valley, Calif.
The Wilson File
• Prepped at Chaminade (Calif.) under head coach Ed Croson
• Varsity letters in basketball and football
• Four-star recruit by Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports and PrepStar
• Nation's 210th-best recruit by ESPN, 216th by PrepStar, 229th by 247Sports
• Nation's 33rd-best wide receiver by ESPN, 36th by PrepStar, 39th by 247Sports, 46th by Rivals
• California's 24th-best overall recruit by ESPN, 31st by PrepStar, 33rd by 247Sports, 37th by Rivals
• 56 receptions for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior
• 70 receptions for 1,280 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior
• 36 receptions for 463 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore
• 2018 Polynesian Bowl participant
• 2017 Mission League MVP
• 2017 Chaminade football MVP
• 2016 all-state wide receiver
• Two-time first-team all-league (2016, 2017)
• Led section in receiving yards in 2016
• School's all-time leading receiver (2,900 yards)
• Two-time Chaminade Male Athlete of the Year
• 2016 Chaminade Football Offensive Player of the Year
• Two-time all-section
• Led team to 2017 Mission League title
• Full name is Michael George Wilson
• Son of Ngaire and Orville Wilson
• Three siblings -- Davon, Marcus and Miles
• Aunt, Maureen Jacobson, played soccer for the New Zealand World Cup team
• First women's player inducted into the Wellington Football Hall of Fame
• Uncle, Craighton McFarlane, played football at Prairie View A&M
• Cousin, Craighton Rafael McFarlane, ran track at Sacramento State
Justus Woods
Running Back • 6-1 • 205 • Charlotte Christian • Weddington, N.C.
The Woods File
• Prepped at Charlotte Christian (N.C.) under head coach Jason Estep
• Varsity letters in football and track
• Four-star recruit by PrepStar
• Nation's 315th-best recruit by PrepStar
• Nation's 14th-best running back recruit by Rivals, 21st by PrepStar
• North Carolina's 16th-best recruit by PrepStar, 20th by Rivals, 32nd by 247Sports, 40th by ESPN
• 176 carries for 1,279 rushing yards (7.3 yards/rush) and 20 rushing touchdowns as a senior
• 22 receptions, 305 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns as a senior
• Set single-season school touchdown record (24)
• 2017 Big 22 Player to Watch
• 2017 all-state second team
• Two-time all-conference
• Led team to two state titles
• Led team to three conference titles
• Born in Hackensack, N.J.
• Full name is Justus Brandon Woods
• Son of Belinda and Dion Woods
• One sibling, Brittney
• Great aunt was jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald
• Uncle, Christopher Williams, is a recording artist
• National Honor Society
• Suffered from severe asthma as a child
• Enjoys cooking, traveling and archery
Alex Gracey
Punter • 6-3 • 195 • Westminster • Atlanta, Ga.
The Gracey File
• Prepped at Westminster (Ga.) under head coach Gerry Romberg
• Varsity letters in football and soccer
• 40.8 yards/punt, pinned 16 of 29 inside the 20 and no touchbacks as a senior
• School's first starting punter without a touchback over the course of a season
• 41.0 yards/punt, pinned eight punts inside the 20 as a junior
• 2017 all-state first team
• 2016 all-state first team
• 2016 all-region first team
• Led team to 2016 regional title
• Led team to 2015 state title
• Led team to 2017 soccer state title
• Full name is Alexander Russell Gracey
• Son of Louise and David Gracey
• Two siblings -- Gillian and Laura
• Grandfather, George Gracey, played football at Rhodes
• Did not consider playing college football under second semester of junior year
• National Honor Society
TaeVeon Le
Tight End • 6-4 • 230 • Corona del Mar • Newport Beach, Calif.
The Le File
• Prepped at Corona del Mar (Calif.) under head coach Dan O'Shea
• Varsity letters in football, basketball and volleyball
• 43 career touchdowns
• 2,751 career receiving yards
• School-record 234 single-game receiving yards
• 52 receptions for 1084 yards for 14 touchdowns as a senior
• 78 receptions for 1,294 yards for 22 touchdowns as a junior
• 15 receptions for 373 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore
• Two-time All-CIF Southern Section first team
• Two-time all-county first team
• Two-time all-conference first team
• 2016 Daily Pilot Offensive Player of the Year
• 2016 all-conference second team in basketball
• Led basketball team to three league titles
• Born in Oakland, Calif.
• Son of An Le
• One sister, Tiana
• Sister has appeared in HBO's Insecure, Amazon Prime's Just Add Magic and ABC's General Hospital
• Owns four rescue dogs and a rescue rabbit
Jake Lynch
Outside Linebacker • 6-2 • 220 • Cathedral Catholic • Del Mar, Calif.
The Lynch File
• Prepped at Cathedral Catholic (Calif.) under head coach Sean Doyle
• Varsity letters in football and baseball
• 61 tackles, 5.5 sacks in seven games as a senior
• Led team to 2016 state title
• CIF All-Academic
• Full name is John Terrence Lynch
• Son of Linda and John Lynch
• Mother played tennis at USC
• Father played football and baseball at Stanford
• Father played 16 seasons in the NFL career, nine-time Pro Bowler
• Father is San Francisco 49ers general manager
• Three siblings -- Lindsay, Lilly and Leah
• Junior class president
Cameron McFarlane
Running Back • 6-0 • 200 • Polytechnic • Pasadena, Calif.
The McFarlane File
• Prepped at Polytechnic (Calif.) under head coach Chris Schmoke
• Varsity letters in football, baseball, soccer and track
• 592 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior
• 61 tackles, five sacks, three defensive touchdowns as a senior
• 664 rushing yards and nine touchdowns as a junior
• 66 tackles and six sacks as a junior
• School's all-time leading football offensive and defensive scorer
• 2017 Prep League MVP
• 2016 Prep League Offensive MVP
• 2016 All-Prep League
• 2016 San Gabriel Valley All-Area second team
• Led team to league titles in football and baseball
• Anchor leg for pair of Prep League 4x100 meter relay champions
• Full name is Cameron Delano McFarlane
• Son of Kevin and Stacey McFarlane
• Father graduated from Stanford's business school
• Two siblings -- Cayla and Catherine
• Sister, Cayla, played with Trinidad and Tobago's U-17 women's soccer team
• Commended National Merit Scholar
• Founder and president of high school's Game of Thrones Club
• Produces and composes music
• Volunteers for Special Olympics