Stanford Football Lands Three-Star Edge Rusher

Can Max Meier fill the void left from David Bailey's departure?

Oct 27, 2018; Stanford, CA, USA; General view of the Stanford Cardinal helmet during the first quarter against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Stanford football's 2026 recruiting class continues to take shape, with another big name committing to the program on Tuesday. Max Meier, a three-star edge rusher out of Loyola-Los Angeles, has committed to the Cardinal program and will join the team ahead of the fall 2026 season, per college football recruiting analyst, Blair Angulo.

BREAKING: Three-star edge rusher Max Meier from Los Angeles Loyola has committed to Stanford following a weekend trip to Palo Alto and shared insight into the decision to join the Cardinal https://t.co/PjElZtuWp7 pic.twitter.com/RhekWxnZ5n

— Blair Angulo (@BlairAngulo) April 15, 2025

Receiving over 20 offers, with notable interest coming from school such as Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Illinois, USC and North Carolina, among others in addition to Stanford, a visit this past weekend to Palo Alto is all Meier needed to make a decision, announcing his commitment to the Cardinal only a couple days removed from his official visit.

Limited to only four games as a sophomore, Meier broke out as a junior for Loyola in 2024, recording 90 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 13 games played. While the Cubs finished the season at 6-7, Meier's strong year was a big reason why the team was even in the position that they were in.

Listed as a tight end as well, the 6-foot-5, 240 pound star has played solely defense for most of his prep career.

Signing Meier is a huge get for the Cardinal, who are only days removed from losing a star pass rusher of their own, David Bailey, to the portal. While it may take time for Meier to develop into a top tier starter, having him in the equation now gives the program another opportunity to find a viable replacement for Bailey.

With Bailey leading the team in sacks for the past two seasons, it will be of vital importance for a new star to emerge amid the current uncertainty that surrounds the program.

Stanford's spring practices are well underway, concluding with the spring game on April 26. And while the Cardinal look to find their identity for the 2025 season under the leadership of interim head coach, Frank Reich, they will also look to load up on talent and get over the hump and improve on their 3-9 record from last season--a record that they have finished with for four seasons straight.