Spring Preview: Four Stanford Cardinal Defensive Players to Watch

The Stanford Cardinal Spring Showcase is one day away, and there are a ton of players that are looking to make an impression on both sides of the ball.

On offense, quarterbacks Ashton Daniels and Elijah Brown will be duking it out for the starting role, while the receiver room will hold a battle for that third wide receiver spot. Defensively, there are quite a few interesting position battles taking place as well, and there is also a hope from coaches and fans alike that the unit can take the necessary steps forward to improve after 2023.

In what was the first year under head coach Troy Taylor and defensive coordinator Bobby April III, Stanford's defense ranked as the No. 129 defense in the country in total defense. They allowed the most passing yards in the country at 298 yards per game, and while their run defense was slightly better, they still ranked No. 91 in the country in run defense. Now, granted majority of the unit had never really started or contributed at the college level, so there was expected to be growing pains.

With that being said, there should be a sign of improvement this next season. While the whole unit is under a microscope, here are four players that fans should absolutely be watching on Saturday.

Nov 18, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; California Golden Bears running back Jaydn Ott (1) runs

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David Bailey, OLB

David Bailey was a starter from the moment he stepped onto campus, and was expected to be the next elite Stanford pass rusher. He recorded a career high five sacks last season and if he can take another step under April's guidance, he could really turn into an elite pass rusher. With an offensive line that is relatively inexperienced, he should be able to be a disruptor during the spring game.

Jul 29, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal helmet during Pac-12 Media Day at Novo

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Jay Green, Safety

In order to help rebuild the secondary, the Cardinal went into the transfer portal and landed Washington transfer Jay Green. The Houston native got a ton of experience this past season for Washington, playing in all 15 of their games. While he played corner for the Huskies, he will be moving to safety at Stanford, and should have a chance to lock up the starting spot left vacant by Alaka'i Gilman. If the transition works out, Stanford could see their secondary improve dramatically.

Sep 16, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets wide receiver Chris Miller (3) is

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Gaethan Bernadel, ILB

The former FIU transfer came in and led the team in tackles last season and has shown throughout his career that he is a tackling machine. Heading into his senior season, if he can be more efficient in helping clog rush lanes it would help the unit out tremendously. To take it a step further, if he can get to the quarterback more often, that would be massive for this team as well. He led the team in quarterback hurries with 20, but had just two sacks on the year. More sacks equals more opportunities for the defense to get off the field, and Bernadel can clearly be even more of an impact player if he adds that to his repertoire.

Oct 5, 2019; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive end Jovan Swann (51) raises his helmet

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Cam Richardson, DB

There has been a trend over the last few years at Stanford. When a recruit enrolls early, they often end up being a starter. It's not to say that it's automatic everytime, but David Bailey was able to start, as was Tiger Bachmeier this past season. Cam Richardson was recruited as a safety, but is listed as a corner on the team's roster. At 6-foot-2, if Richardson has the coverage skills to hold up at corner, he could really be a nightmare matchup for receivers. Stanford's receiving corps is one that will test him daily, and could really help in his development.