By Mark Pszonak
As has become the norm in college football, when a program undergoes a head coaching change, numerous players usually enter the transfer portal. With the firing of Troy Taylor, Stanford has seen its first group of players enter.
Headlining the group thus far is DE/LB David Bailey, who totaled 111 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles during his three seasons with the Cardinal. The California native is a 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior, who quickly picked up serious interest from across the country. USC and UCLA are gaining the most early buzz but expect this to be a national process as long as he wants to leave California.
Following Bailey were OL Jake Maikkula and WR Mudia Reuben. Maikkula made five starts in 2023 at guard and 11 starts last season, while playing multiple positions. Reuben has totaled 24 receptions for 283 yards and three touchdowns during his three seasons.
— Jake Maikkula (@JakeMaikkula) March 29, 2025
Maikkula, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound native of Colorado, possesses the positional versatility that will give him a big advantage in the portal. He has made starts at left guard, right guard and center, which sets him apart from many other available offensive linemen.
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Reuben, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound native of Missouri, is coming off a season-ending leg injury during the 2024 season which limited him to only three games. But with his impressive size and experience, he would be a nice addition to many wide receiver rooms.
Stanford is a unique situation when it comes to the transfer portal. With its high academic standards and the difficulties players face to gain admission, the amount of departures will be limited compared to most other programs. All three of the above players are entering as grad transfers, which is how it is usually done at Stanford. However, that does not mean that additional players won’t enter in the coming days.
