Top OL Walker Little recaps Stanford visit

Stanford hosted one of the nation's top offensive line prospects earlier this month for the third time. Rivals100 Texas standout Walker Little, who previously took trips to The Farm for a camp and Stanford's 2015 matchup against Oregon, returned to campus with his mother, father and sister.

"I had a lot of fun out there," Little said. "I got to meet a lot of the players, got to hang around the guys a lot, see what that atmosphere is like. I got to see more of the campus and more of the academic buildings. So I really had a good time out there. I had a great time with all of the coaches, meeting all of the players and seeing the football side of things and the real school life of it."

Time spent with Stanford's players and coaches highlighted Little's trip.

"Getting to hang around a lot of the coaches more, especially Coach Bloomgren (was a highlight), and I got to talk to Coach Shaw for a while - that was really cool," Little said. "I talked to Joshua Garnett on Facetime and he told me a lot of the same things that everyone else had told me and things I wanted to hear about balancing school and football there and how much of a good time it is and having the expectations of winning championships and things like that."

Bloomgren emphasized his desire to have Little join the Cardinal program - and that the four-star Texas native is an ideal fit for how Stanford operates - during their conversations.

"Obviously Coach Bloomgren was on me about how he much he wants me and where I would fit in the system and how I would fit in the system, really, with my kind of playing style and how I'm built," Little said.

"He told me I'm a lot like a lot of the other tackle recruits he's recruited in the past and that he thinks I could fit really well in the system and that I'd be a valuable piece of the puzzle there."

Shaw, meanwhile, discussed the experience of attending Stanford - something he of course did - and the recruiting process with Little.

"Coach Shaw was talking about student life there - he went there, so he knows a lot more than a lot of people do," Little said. "We talked about recruiting in general. Then we kind of talked about normal stuff, just made casual conversations and got to know each other a lot better."

Little became acquainted with several current Cardinal players over the course of his trip, including Brian Chaffin, Casey Tucker and Solomon Thomas.

"I've met Brian before, so we hung out and caught up, talked about the year," Little said. "Talking to Solomon and Casey, who played out there this year and have been there for a year or two, they told me how much they loved it, just like everyone else, and told me that I'd be a good fit out there. I definitely had a good time with them and got to see a lot of the student life that I hadn't seen before."

All told, the visit boosted Little's comfort level with the university - and provided a glimpse of what daily life would be like as a Stanford student.

"I definitely felt a little bit more at home out there, a little more comfortable, not so up-tight about things," Little said. "It was just more of a relaxed kind of visit, which was nice. I got to hang out with the players a lot and feel how it would be to be an actual student-athlete there, which was really good and an opportunity that you don't get at a lot of schools."

Little has not released a list of favorites, but the Cardinal remains a strong contender in after hosting the talented lineman. Texas and Ole Miss are among a host of programs also involved in Little's recruitment.

"They're definitely still a top school for me," Little said of Stanford. "I've enjoyed every visit I've had out there. I really love all the coaches. It's a winning program, amazing academics. They'll be a top school throughout the next few months for me."

Now, Little's Stanford recruitment will shift into the admissions phase. The Episcopal High School prospect has nearly concluded his Stanford application. He expects to submit it within the next few weeks, at which point the wait for a decision from Stanford's admissions office will begin.

"I'm hoping to finish (the application) by the end of this week," Little said. "I have two more essays to write and then some of the little paperwork to fill out. Hopefully by the end of this week, but definitely by the end of next week, I think I'll have that in."

With three visits to The Farm under his belt and a relationship with the program's coaches that has developed for many months, there aren't a ton of unanswered questions Little needs to get answered. Rather, admissions is currently the major unknown with the Cardinal.

"There's not much to learn or see anymore," Little said. "I'll definitely try to make it out there for another game, but it's definitely just getting the admissions in, seeing if I get accepted or not. That will be a big part of the decision for me. And then just taking my time, talking about it with my parents and figuring out when I can make a decision."

Little will have a busy summer on the recruiting trail. He's set to participate in a pair of prestigious showcases - the Rivals Five-Star Challenge and The Opening Finals. Visits to Florida, Michigan and in-state programs like Texas and Texas A&M may also be on the docket.

"(In the next months I'll) narrow down some schools and maybe see some new schools that I might be interested in," Little said.