Ranking four of the most important Stanford transfer additions across all sports

Multiple Stanford sports have been active in the transfer portal this offseason

One of the biggest questions surrounding not just Stanford football but Stanford athletics, is how the athletic department that is home to 26 of the 29 LEARFIELD Directors' Cups would survive with the implementation of the transfer portal.

Now obviously transferring has always been an occurrence in college sports, but with new rules and regulations it has become much more of a free-flowing process. Something that many people assumed, mostly in part due to the ridiculously strict academic requirements, would hinder Stanford for years to come. However, we are learning in this offseason specifically, that isn't the case at all.

While Stanford will never be taking in mass amounts of transfers unless there is an excess of athlete geniuses in the portal , they are able to utilize what has become one of the most important aspects of college sports. And even though departures form their programs may outweigh the intake, it is an accessible tool. Something that those around the country, and even around Palo Alto were convinced that they would never be able to partake in. Mostly in part due to the fact that  David Shaw himself prior to stepping down in November, explained that the program had just begun looking into the portal. An occurrence that took place weeks after previously comparing Stanford to USC who brought in over 30 transfers prior to last season, and implying that he took more of a traditional approach. 

Again, Stanford will never be welcoming an abundance of transfers but between football, basketball, and now softball have brought in a total of 10 transfers in the last year. That is why I decided to rank the four transfers that stand out to me the most from this offseason, and how they can impact their respective program. 

4. Gaethan Bernadel, Linebacker

Stanford Athletics

Previous School: FIU 

Bernadel is regarded as the first undergraduate transfer in Stanford football history in the transfer portal era. Landing him was a revelation for the football program, as not only did it show that taking in transfers was possible, but he also provides experience and productivity to a defense that returns just 36% of their production from a year ago. This past season at FIU he led the team with 103 tackles (58 solo), eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two QB hurries. He is someone who is expected to rise up the depth chart come fall camp, and also will be around The Farm for a couple more years which is a plus.

3. Jared Bynum, Point Guard

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Previous School: Providence 

Stanford is fresh off an underwhelming season of basketball that saw them miss the tournament for the ninth straight year, with seven of the last nine misses coming under Jerod Haase. While the 2023-24 roster is shaping up nicely due to the return of Spencer Jones and addition of five-star Andrej Stojakovic, it was the transfer addition of Providence's Jared Bynum that really puts a bow on top of the roster.Bynum was named to the All-Big East second team and was the Sixth Man of the Year selection in the 2021-22 season, while averaging 10 points and 4.3 assists this past season for the Friars. He provides a veteran guard to replace Michael O'Connell (NC State), and also provides another much needed scoring threat. 

2. Justin Lamson, Quarterback

Syracuse Athletics

Previous School: Syracuse 

Football was by far the biggest surprise of them all with their portal usage. The Cardinal brought in Patrick Fields from Oklahoma a year ago, but not because of efforts made to attract him. The story goes as he got accepted into Stanford as a grad student, and happened to be a football player that approached the staff. Troy Taylor and his staff have made it a point to use the portal, and with the uncertainty at the quarterback position in 2023, adding Syracuse transfer Justin Lamson was huge. The former all-state safety with a big arm will push Ari Patu for the starting role, and also has multiple years of eligibility available, making him the perfect investment for a team that needs a face of  the program to emerge. 

1. Taryn Kern, Infielder

Brianna Paciorka

Previous School: Indiana 

The latest transfer portal addition at Stanford, adding Indiana's Taryn Kern could be the difference maker in Stanford winning the title next season and dethroning Oklahoma. In their two meetings and losses to Oklahoma in the Women's College World Series, it appeared that the Cardinal were lacking a big bat in the lineup that could consistently knock in some runs. Something that when you consider they ranked No. 119 in scoring in the country needed to be addressed. Well, their offense  should no longer be a problem with Kern who finished second overall in the country in home runs, third overall in RBI's and fourth overall in slugging percentage. With her bat combined with the fact Stanford's dominant in the circle, Stanford has as legitimate chance as any to be the last team standing in OKC