STANFORD, Calif. — Just four spring practices remain in 2026, with Stanford football’s first spring under Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football Tavita Pritchard. The Cardinal ramped up the intensity in week three, with reps getting more important, especially for those growing into new roles.
This year’s version of the Cardinal will feature an interesting mix of returning talent. Stanford lost only five players in the transfer portal who played at least 150 snaps last year, meaning the majority of the roster remains intact. Still, there are opportunities for players to step up into larger roles after the senior class exhausted its eligibility or entered the NFL Draft.
One of those players stepping into a larger role is Brandon Nicholson, who should be a top cornerback for the Cardinal in 2026. After seeing playing time in his first two seasons and compiling three interceptions over his first 11 career starts, he is expected to be one of the leaders of his position group, a role he is poised to fill.
So much of his preparation for 2026 came from the past two seasons, when he was playing alongside Collin Wright. The Missouri City, Texas native declared for the NFL Draft, which takes place next week, and Nicholson offered high praise for the way that Wright led by example.
“I really learned how to be a professional from Collin. He handled his business day-to-day, and that helps as I go and try to help lead the secondary and the team,” Nicholson explained.
Jay Green is one of the veterans in the secondary and someone who has seen a lot in his two years on The Farm after transferring from Washington. He’s suffered a season-ending knee injury, only to return and earn a spot on the 2025 All-ACC honorable mention team.
With his spot needing to be filled with his injury from a few years ago, he knows the importance of the “next man up” mentality. He understands that a lot of players will be needed over the course of the season and believes that there won’t be much of a drop-off because they’ve already seen playing time.
“We have a few guys who are going to see more responsibility this year, and I think they are going to take the next step to help us win games,” says Green.
So much of what guys like Nicholson are trying to learn is how to shift their mindset. Part of that comes from Coach Pritchard, who Nicholson said has brought a great professional mindset that the players have bought into every day.
“If you prepare and have that mindset in everything you do day by day, you’re going to act like you’re that guy,” explained Nicholson. “So, I come out here every day knowing that nobody can stop me. That’s the mindset I carry out on the field every day.”
Another spot where your mindset can make all the difference is the offensive line. This year’s group is older than the past, and expected to be anchored by Niki Prongos, who returns for his second season at Stanford after transferring from UCLA.
He’s got the size and physicality that scouts love at the position, and he should rank high on draft boards come 2027. With him protecting the Cardinal quarterback’s blindside, he posted the fourth-best pass blocking grade among left tackles in the ACC last season. To put it simply: not much gets by him.
Still, Prongos knows the offensive line needs to get better, and that includes himself. His motivation to push himself even further along towards the NFL was a big part of the reason why he chose to return to The Farm.
“There is a lot left on the table and a lot I can get better at before I pursue the NFL,” Prongos said before changing his point of view. “Also, I love it here. I love school here. I’ve bought into the program here. Last year, I made a big jump, and I feel like I can make an even bigger jump this year.”
Longtime Stanford fans know that when the Cardinal is successful, the offensive line is one of the best units in the country. It’s been a little while since that level of excellence has been on display, and Prongos knows it. He wants his group to bring the rest of the team up, not the other way around.
“The culture of the team starts with the offensive line. We have to play at a high level. Everything in the game starts up front,” Prongos said. “So we’ve been emphasizing the standard we want to play at so that we bring the whole team up with us.”
The Cardinal will spend the final week of spring continuing its quest to be the best practicing team in the country, as Pritchard likes to say. And as he reminds the team every day: the next practice is the most important practice.