New Stanford football receiver ready for the challenge that is college football

There are not a lot of players like Liam Thorpe, who is the perfect fit for the vision that Stanford football is looking to implement.

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-Imagn Images / James Snook-Imagn Images

For Stanford football, a major point of emphasis with national signing day was adding depth to every spot on the roster, hoping to find the next diamond in the rough who can evolve into a big star. By signing wide receiver Liam Thorpe, the potential to have a deep receiving core for years to come has become a strong possibility.

A three-star prospect out of the Hun School in New Jersey, Thorpe joins four-star receiver Jonanthony Hall as two players who are poised to become integral parts of the offense down the line.

With Jackson Harris and Jayson Raines both announcing their intentions to enter the transfer portal, Thorpe comes in determined to be a strong replacement for the two stars. The Cardinal’s offense had some moments of struggles last year and the addition of Thorpe gives them another playmaker.

A six foot, 175 pound ATH, Thorpe can do it all. While he primarily is a wide receiver, totaling 41 catches for 1,031 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior, he is capable of playing some quarterback and running back as well, throwing two touchdown passes as a freshman while carrying the ball 109 times for 803 yards and seven touchdowns in his freshman season as well.

He also put together a solid campaign on the defensive side of the ball in 2024 as well, playing in nine games on defense where he made 23 total tackles and intercepted a pass. Overall for his career at Hun, Thorpe amassed over 2,700 yards receiving and found the endzone 33 times in total while also evolving into the most valuable player for his team.

Thorpe’s dominance as a high school athlete led to him earning a plethora of accolades, most notably being a First-Team All-League selection from 2021-2024, helping his team win three MAPL championships from 2022-2024 as well as winning the team MVP award in 2023.

A multi-sport athlete, Thorpe also excelled in track and lacrosse while as a student, he was an honor roll selection in 2022 and 2023. His strong career on the gridiron led to him being ranked as the No. 52 receiver in the 2025 class according to On3 while he was also a consensus top-50 recruit in his state, coming in as high as No. 30 on ESPN. 

Bringing a lot to the table, Thorpe will surely excel as a member of the Cardinal. While it may take some time before he becomes the player that everyone knows he can be, his immense grit will make him a valuable addition no matter what his role is to start.