Three Stanford players named to Senior Bowl watch list

With college football officially kicking off once again, the final preseason watch lists are being released. As for the Senior Bowl list, three Stanford players have been included as candidates to be included in the annual showcase for NFL squads.

One of the names should come as absolutely no surprise; Elic Ayomanor . He's best known as the breakout star who put in a historic performance in a remarkable comeback win over Colorado, but after recovering from a major injury, he did a great job putting together an impressive and complete 2023 season. This year, he will be the clear top target for Ashton Daniels as he looks to make a strong final impression before heading off to the NFL Draft.

Ayomanor is joined on the watch list by a pair of defensive players, starting with inside linebacker Gaethan Bernadel. After transferring in from FIU, Bernadel was a major contributor for Stanford last season and will be poised to take a big step up as a key defensive player in the team's first ACC season.

Finally, cornerback Zahran Manley, a fifth-year Cardinal player, was included on the list. 2023 was his first season at Stanford with a significant role in the defense, and he'll need to be at his very best to help lead a much-needed defensive improvement for Stanford.