These five Stanford players have had success in small bursts, but in 2026, they will need to take on larger roles for the program to reach its ceiling
The Stanford Cardinal opened training camp this week, officially kicking off preparations for the 2026 season and beginning their years-long quest to become a national powerhouse once again.
Hiring a new head coach in Tavita Pritchard, bringing in a whole new staff, and signing several new players via the transfer portal and recruiting, a new era is ready to begin on The Farm. The hope for the Cardinal is that all of the changes bring them closer to a bowl game this season.
If the Cardinal want to see any sort of success this year facing a brutal schedule, they need their starters to step up — especially the players that have a lot of experience. Retaining several players who have been with the program for multiple years, these guys will be essential leaders in guiding the team through this time of change.
But these five players also have a lot to prove.
OL Kahlil House, Junior
House, one of only two linemen to play in all 12 games for the Cardinal last season, enters this year as the expected starting right tackle. With the most experience and star power of any of the starters, this is the year for House to really reach that next level.
With the Cardinal struggling with both health and consistency on the line in recent seasons, the Cardinal need House to stay healthy and be that key cog all season long. With Stanford not having a 1,000 yard rusher since 2017, the line will be under a microscope this season. For a leader of the O-line like House, him playing well is vital.
RB Micah Ford, Junior
Running back is the one position where the Cardinal have a lot of options but last season, Ford established himself as the workhorse and enters training camp with a fast track towards starting.
Finishing with 145 carries for 643 yards and four touchdowns last season — including 100-yard games in two out of the team's first three games — Ford showed a lot of promise. But with Bryce Love being the program's last 1,000-yard rusher back in 2017, Ford will be looking to break that trend.
If Ford has a good year and is able to surpass the 1,000-yard mark, he will not only etch out a spot in Stanford history, but also turn into a legitimate NFL draft prospect.
TE Benji Blackburn, Junior
The first two seasons of Blackburn's college career saw him have a limited role, with Sam Roush entrenched as the program's starting tight end. But now that Roush is in the NFL, Blackburn returns with two years of experience in the program under his belt.
He enters the season as the likely starter at tight end, with the opportunity to prove himself and join the exclusive list stars from Tight End U.
Catching a career-high of nine passes for 109 yards and a touchdown last season, Blackburn is ready to build off those numbers. With tight ends playing a pivotal role in Stanford's offenses over the years, he needs to be ready to step up in 2026.
EDGE Tevarua Tafiti, Redshirt Senior
Entering the 2026 season as one of Stanford's longest tenured players, Tafiti will look to take on a bigger leadership role as he attempts to bounce back from a rough campaign last year.
Recording only two sacks, the Cardinal struggled as a whole to get to the quarterback all throughout the 2025 season and ended the year ranked in the bottom half of the ACC in passing defense.
This year, with the ACC once again expected to feature high-level quarterback play, the Cardinal need to improve their sack and QB pressure totals if they want to see any success this season. Tafiti, a multi-year starter, needs to set the tone.
The Cardinal haven't had a player record double-digit sacks in a season since 2017, and Stanford will be desperate to change its fortunes on that front in 2026. Tafiti will be an integral part of that recipe.
DB Brandon Nicholson, Junior
Nicholson could be one of the most important players for Stanford this season, especially since he is taking over for longtime fixture Collin Wright as the program's top cornerback.
Starting six games last year in place of an injured Wright, Nicholson finished the 2025 season with 27 tackles, six passes defended and two interceptions, proving himself to be a formidable option with Wright unavailable.
Now that Wright is gone, Nicholson is the undisputed CB1, and with the ACC being a pass-heavy conference, he will be tested at many points throughout the year. A good season for Nicholson will not only help the defense reach its potential, but it could put him firmly on the radar of NFL scouts
