Northern Iowa Transfer Brings More Star Power to Stanford Linebackers

Dylan Grausz | Aug 9, 2024

Nov 4, 2023; Pullman, Washington, USA; Stanford Cardinal helmet sits against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

A big part of college football in today’s era, the transfer portal, gives players an opportunity to play at a new school and look for a fresh start without having to sit out a year. Each and every season, new names enter the portal hoping to find a program that fits them and provides them the opportunity to flourish. Stanford was able to pick up a couple of those players ahead of the 2024 campaign, with one of them being none other than former Northern Iowa star Jahsiah Galvan.

A three-star prospect coming out of high school, the 6’2”, 225 pound Galvan played in only two games for the Panthers as a true freshman in 2022 before using his redshirt year and came back in 2023 with a much bigger role, playing in all 11 games where he led the team with 77 tackles while also having 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble. For his efforts, he was named to the Phil Steele Freshman All-American First Team and made the All-MVFC Fifth Team.

Originally choosing Wisconsin over offers from schools such as Kansas, Kansas State and Cincinnati, Stanford was able to land Galvan after he flipped his commitment and comes to Stanford with an opportunity to play for an FBS school in a more prestigious conference and will look to be a complementary piece to incumbent linebackers Gaethan Bernadel and Tristan Sinclair who were Stanford’s top two tacklers in 2023, combining for nearly 160 tackles.

Galvan’s ability to both defend the run, grading out at 77.4 on PFF last year, and his background as a safety in pass coverage, grading out at 85.6, makes him a candidate to be a major contributor right off the bat for the Cardinal.

Starring for West Liberty High School (Iowa), Galvan excelled on both sides of the ball, finishing his junior season in 2020 with 1,566 rushing yards on 178 carries, averaging 8.7 yards a carry and scoring 12 touchdowns while contributing 47.5 tackles as a cornerback. A key face on West Liberty during his tenure there, Galvan knows how to lead. While still being on the younger side, will provide a veteran presence to the Cardinal locker room.

Currently listed as a middle linebacker on the Cardinal depth chart, Galvan will join a strong linebacker room ready to prove his worth and with a fresh opportunity to make a name for himself within college football, he will approach training camp with conviction, hungry to climb the depth chart and cement himself as a staple of Stanford’s gameplan.