Had Notre Dame’s Ronnie Stanley declared for the 2015 NFL draft, he well might have been the first offensive tackle off the board. After deciding to return to school, he is now the favorite to be the top offensive lineman selected in the 2016 NFL draft.
After spending his first playing season at right tackle in 2013, Stanley had big shoes to fill last year as Notre Dame’s replacement for Zack Martin, a four-year starter at left tackle who went on to be a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft and a Pro Bowl guard for the Dallas Cowboys in his rookie season.