Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley will reportedly enter the 2016 NFL Draft, according Matt Miller of Bleacher Report. Stanley has already been named the 2015 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year and is expected to be one of the top offensive linemen off the board in the NFL draft.
The senior left tackle could have entered the 2015 NFL Draft, but he decided to return for his senior season. Stanley is technically a redshirt junior on the field this season and could have opted to return for another season with the Fighting Irish.
Stanley enters the draft as a projected top-ten pick, and offensive tackles of his talent are considered a huge commodity in the NFL, according to NFL Media analyst Mike Mayock. The Notre Dame offensive tackle has had another incredible season, but scouts will want to see how he preforms against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day.
Stanley had almost a perfect season, but NFL scouts will likely watch his game tape against Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson, who gave him some problems when the two met in early October. Stanley will have an opportunity to show the great talent he has in the Fiesta Bowl, as he will likely be lined up across Ohio State's star defensive end Joey Bosa. Bosa and Lawson are two NFL prospects that are expected to be first round picks in the 2016 NFL Draft, and NFL scouts will heavily watch the game tape to analyze Stanley's play against top-tier defensive ends.
Notre Dame has continually produced quality offensive lineman, and former Irish guard Zack Martin earned a Pro Bowl in his rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys. Teams around the league have taken notice to Martin's success in the NFL, and that will only help Stanley as a prospect. Walter Football currently projects Stanley going as the seventh pick to the San Francisco 49ers in their latest mock draft, but there is no guarantee that Stanley will sit on the board that long. The Notre Dame offensive tackle is expected to make an immediate impact at the next level, and plenty of NFL teams will be interested in grabbing the star offensive tackle this upcoming April.
