We continue our offseason coverage of Pac-12 football by taking inventory of each team's returning depth chart. Here are the top 10 players who will suit up in a Stanford uniform this coming season. These rankings are obviously subjective, and comparing players at different positions is certainly not a cut-and-dried task, so keep that in mind as you read our take on it:
1. RB/WR/KR/PR Christian McCaffrey: Surprise! Not. McCaffrey was the Associated Press national player of the year in 2015, and he accumulated more all-purpose yards in a single season than anyone in the history of college football. So he tops this list without any of the drama and disappointment Cardinal fans felt during last year's Heisman Trophy presentation.
2. DL Solomon Thomas: The physical freak -- he's reached to 11 feet during vertical-jump exercises even though he weighs 275 pounds -- is the anchor of Stanford's defensive line. Many of Thomas' 10.5 tackles for loss in 2015 came after he absolutely overwhelmed opposing blockers, and his athleticism was on full display during the scoop-and-score that highlighted the Pac-12 championship game. Will fellow lineman Harrison Phillips crack this list after returning from an ACL injury? If yes, the Cardinal will boast a scary duo up front.
3. DB Zach Hoffpauir: He's back after a year spent playing professional baseball. Hoffpauir brings invaluable experience to a Stanford secondary that's loaded with young talent. He's one of those players who carries true football instincts -- that innate ability to sniff out a play and magnetically attract productive contact. This was very evident in the 2013 Pac-12 title game, when Hoffpauir launched himself through the line of scrimmage to help secure a crucial goal-line stand. With the ability to play both safety positions and nickelback, Hoffpauir is the secondary's Swiss army knife.
4. WR Michael Rector: There was a time when Stanford didn't have much team speed. That time is far back in the rearview mirror. Rector is one of the track stars on the Cardinal's roster -- he was among the fastest sprinters in the state of Washington during high school (the only guy who beat him in the 100- and 200-meter dashes back then is also on the Cardinal roster: Isaiah Brandt-Sims). It would be fun to watch Rector, Brandt-Sims and Bryce Love -- another sprinter who doubles as a football player -- race. Heck, throw McCaffrey into that competition, too.
5. RB Bryce Love: He'd already established that he was fast before coming to college. At Stanford's spring game last weekend, Love demonstrated that he has the vision and niftiness to produce big numbers at the college level. Love's snaps will certainly be affected by McCaffrey's presence, but coach David Shaw has already vowed that Stanford will place heavy emphasis on getting both the ball.
6. OLB Peter Kalambayi: With Kevin Anderson graduating, the spotlight at outside linebacker will shine brightly on Kalambayi, one of the most athletic pass-rush specialists in the Pac-12. His production wasn't huge in 2015 -- 5.5 tackles for loss on the season -- but Stanford is looking for Kalambayi to notch double digits in that statistic in 2016.
7. CB Alijah Holder: The Cardinal's secondary looks primed for a breakout season. The unit was excellent in the two games to close 2015, and now previously green cornerbacks such as Holder have an entire season and a Rose Bowl championship under their belts. At 6-foot-2, Holder is big for his position, and his tackling ability was on full display when he took USC's JuJu Smith-Schuster down in the open field last season. Holder also delivered a pick-six against UCLA's Josh Rosen.
8. DB Quenton Meeks: Another versatile, young defensive back, Meeks saved Stanford's skin by picking off two passes against Washington State before taking an interception to the house in the Rose Bowl -- all as a true freshman. Meeks' excellent anticipation skills should earn him plenty of time at either cornerback or nickelback.
9. K Conrad Ukropina: The iconic moment was his game-winning kick against Notre Dame, but don't discount Ukropina's consistency: He nailed 18 of 20 field goals last season while converting all 67 of his extra-point opportunities. Never underestimate the value of a steady college leg.
10. TE Dalton Schultz: The Cardinal must replace leading tight end Austin Hooper. Schulz and Greg Taboada are the next two in line at the position, which this team uses heavily. Both players look solid, but Schultz projects to have a higher ceiling in the passing game. Expect him to be a go-to target of either Ryan Burns or Keller Chryst, the two candidates vying for Stanford's quarterback job.