Many NFL scouting services/media outlets/draftniks etc. rate Notre Dame‘s Ronnie Stanley as the top offensive tackle prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft class and a near certain top ten overall pick. Many analysts see Stanley playing himself into top five overall selection territory come April.
Given how much extra value the NFL places on left tackles these days (i.e. the ability to protect the quarterback’s blind side, in a pass-oriented era), Stanley’s stock will rise further with each dominant performance he puts in at LT.
Ronnie Stanley started off at right tackle, but now he’s transitioned to the left side. He said at Media Day that he is now accustomed to playing both.
At Media Day, Ronnie Stanley looked back at how far he’s come during his Notre Dame career, but also looked at what’s ahead.
“I definitely didn’t think I would be able to even think about leaving to enter the draft after my third year of playing,” Stanley said.
“But it’s definitely due to me not thinking about it, and me focusing on my game, and realizing that.”
If you saw the movie “Draft Day,” a NFL infomercial disguised as a Hollywood mainstream theatrical release, you might recall the scene with the blue chip prospect talking about where he ranked in the mocks. Most players at any big time college football program will tell you that they do the complete opposite of that.
It’s probably in their best interests that they do take this approach (staying away from the draft projection talk) So Ronnie Stanley has the right idea.
However, at this link you’ll find an article that is the closest you’ll ever come to hearing a player admit they’re aware of the mock drafts and their NFL draft stock. Speaking of NFL mock drafts (here’s ours). It comes from another top tier OT prospect, Taylor Decker of Ohio State.
Stanley’s position group is considered by many to be the biggest strength of the team. That says a lot about the Fighting Irish O-Linemen, given that ND is ranked #11 in the preseason AP poll.
“We 100% feel that we are the strength of the team,” said Stanley because we want to be those guys to be counted on be able to do the job every play. We’re half the offense, just us, so if we do our job, we’re halfway there already.”
Woody Allen is credited with saying that half of success in life is just showing up. So if the Fighting Irish show up this season for all 12 games as the unit they are projected to be on paper…well, half the battle will already been won on the offensive side of the ball.
Notre Dame Media Day Preview Series
-Ronnie Stanley resembling top 10 overall NFL Draft talk
Will Fuller is ND’s best chance at the Heisman
KeiVarae Russell returns; wins Media Day
Malik Zaire takes issue with usage of the term “dual threat”
Comprehensive Notre Dame Season Preview
2015 Notre Dame football is playoff or bust
-WR Chris Brown is a big Borussia Dortmund supporter (coming Sunday)
-Brady Quinn’s ND Season Preview and predictions (coming Saturday)
Quinn podcast below:
-Comprehensive ND Season Preview
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is part of the FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous talk radio stations all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN Omaha.
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