David Bailey among College football's 10 best freshmen from Week 9

Stanford's star freshman may have had his best collegiate game yet

We are at the point in the Stanford season where the team still has a chance to make a bowl game, but some are beginning to look ahead to the offseason and beyond already. 

The season has not gone as some might have hoped for one of the most experienced teams in the country, as the Cardinal appear to be trending to having their fourth losing season in five years. The team just has a lot of issues that are hindering their ability to take that next step whether it be injuries, play calling, or not being able to capitalize off momentum. All of these things were clearly factors in the most recent loss to No. 12 UCLA that saw the Cardinal lose by a score of 38-13, even despite the loss there was a positive to take out of the game.

This of course being the performance by their stud freshman EDGE David Bailey, who was among College football's 10 best freshmen from Week 9 according to 247Sports. Bailey had multiple huge plays that could have helped the team get back in the game had the offense not been so bad, here is what 247Sports said about his performance:

Bailey’s true freshman teammate, fellow edge Ernest Cooper, made this list last week, revealing a pretty bright future at the position for the Cardinal. Bailey shined brighter in Stanford’s 38-13 loss against UCLA, piling up nine tackles, eight of which were solo stops, adding a sack, a forced fumble and five pressures. Bailey has been an impact player at times as a true freshman, and he appears to have a bright future along with Cooper as cornerstones of Stanford’s defense.

Look for Bailey, who has been a contributor all year, to really hit his stride in the final few weeks. This game against UCLA really seemed like a coming out game for a young player, who along with Ernest Cooper will solidify this defensive line for the coming years. If Bailey and Stephen Herron can really ramp up how often they are getting to the quarterback, and the offense that ranks poorly can slightly improve, Stanford has a legitimate chance of sneaking into a bowl game.