Any discussion of 2011 recruits comes with the understanding that even those players who have committed to the Cardinal could change their minds. Nothing is official until national signing day on February 2, 2011, so recruiting news should be read through that filter. It's an inexact science, but it's simply too much fun to ignore.
When Toby Gerhart left after last year's historic season, the question that hovered over the Stanford program was simple: who will replace him? I probably shouldn't say that the Cardinal hasn't missed Gerhart, but, well, they haven't. Sophomore Stepfan Taylor has emerged to be the lead back, and true freshman Anthony Wilkerson has backed up the hype that accompanied his signing last spring. But when you're building a football program, especially one featuring a pro-style offense, you can never have enough running backs. (A few weeks ago we turned our Recruiting Focus on another back, Amir Carlisle.
Just last week, though, another important running back recruit gained admission to the University. Remound Wright, out of Bishop Dwenger in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was thrilled to get the good news. "It was a really great feeling," Wright told CardinalReport.com. "Coach Harbaugh actually called my house to let me know, and it was really nice to hear from him. It was a lot of happiness, because growing up, I never thought I would be going to Stanford. It's kind of amazing to think that all of the hard work I have been doing the past 12 years has come to fruition."
Even though Wright is a four-star recruit and the top rated player in the state of Indiana, there are some scouts who are concerned about the weak level of competition he's faced in high school and worry that he could struggle with the leap to the Pac-12. Because of this, the Cardinal could be stealing a diamond in the rough, much the way they did with linebacker Blake Lueders, a four-star recruit was rated the fourth-best prospect in Indiana when he signed with Stanford last spring. Lueders hasn't even needed to redshirt this season, as he's played in all nine games thus far. With the current depth at running back, it isn't necessary that Wright be ready to play this fall, but don't be surprised if he is.
At only 5'9" but a thick 190 pounds, Wright possesses the speed and power to be an impact running back in the Pac-12. Scouts note that his small stature will make it difficult for defenses to find him before he hits the hole, but say that he'll still be strong enough to bounce off would-be tacklers -- quite a combination. Check the video for evidence:
