Stanford Football Has Two Players Enter Transfer Portal

Earlier this week, the firing of Stanford football head coach signaled a new era for the Cardinal, with a new leader set to take over in 2025 and create a new culture.

While the Cardinal look for their new man, players on the team have the chance to enter the transfer portal per NCAA rules, with any coaching changes allowing for a 30 day window of entering.

So far, the Cardinal have two players who have opted to pursue that chance, with wide receiver Mudia Reuben and linebacker David Bailey confirming their intentions to transfer.

Reuben, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, enters after three years at Stanford where he had a limited role. As a freshman, he had five catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns before putting together a career year as a sophomore, catching 15 passes for 199 yards.

Expected to take on a bigger role as a junior last season, an injury limited him to only two games, catching four passes for 31 yards and a score.

With two seasons of eligibility left, Reuben could be a hot name on the market for teams that want to add an experienced wide receiver that will be around for a little bit.

Bailey, the Cardinal's sack leader for the last two seasons, may very well end up being one of the top players that is available in the portal.

Seeing immediate playing time in his first season, totaling 2.5 sacks with 46 total tackles and a pair of forced fumbles as a freshman, the next couple of seasons saw Bailey really step up, leading the team with five sacks in 2023 before totaling seven sacks last season.

While he's been primarily used as a pass rusher, Bailey's versatility and ability to also stop the run make him the ideal three-down player.

Reuben and Bailey will most likely not be the only two players who opt to enter the portal, as the uncertainty that currently surrounds Stanford football could lead to more players opting for a fresh start. But so far, Reuben and Bailey are the only players who have confirmed their intentions to enter the portal and play elsewhere in the fall.

Stanford opens its spring practice on April 1, and still without a coach, an interim will most likely be implemented until the program is able to find a permanent replacement.

Coming off of four straight 3-9 seasons, the Cardinal have struggled to find success in recent years and are eager to make sure that they get the next hire right.

Possible names that have been thrown around include former Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jason Garrett, and current Washington Commanders offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, among others.

In the event of an interim being appointed, defensive coordinator Bobby April III has been the most popular name mentioned for that job.

General manager Andrew Luck has his work cut out for him, but with a good plan in place, the Cardinal have the potential to come out of this whole situation much stronger and more resilient as they look to become contenders in the ACC.