Ronnie Stanley has been a stalwart along the offensive line for Notre Dame, starting every game in the past two seasons. In 2014, Stanley became the first player other than Zack Martin -- the first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2014 NFL Draft and a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie -- to start at left tackle since Matt Romine did so in 2010. Stanley had a chance to enter the 2015 NFL Draft, but opted to return to Notre Dame instead.
Stanley yielded just one sack, which is impressive when you consider some of the defensive players he went up against ... Michigan's Frank Clark (second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks), Arizona State's Marcus Hardison (fourth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals), Louisville's Lorenzo Mauldin (third-round pick of the New York Jets), Stanford's Henry Anderson (third-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts), USC's Leonard Williams (first-round pick of the Jets) and LSU's Danielle Hunter (third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings).
Pulling back the curtain on the vote
Stanley earned votes from four of seven CFB 24/7 experts, with one of those coming in the top five. Stanley is one of two offensive linemen to make this top-20 countdown.
What some of our analysts are saying about Stanley
"Stanley is the top senior offensive tackle in the country. He is very technically sound in both the run and pass game." -- Daniel Jeremiah
"I love Stanley's athleticism and his ability to get out on top of pass rushers quickly with foot-quickness and plus hands. Stanley has some work to do as a run blocker, but even that might be nitpicking a little." -- Lance Zierlein
"Excellent size, agility, and can dance with the best pass rushers in the nation." -- Charles Davis
"Has long arms (34 inches), plus big hands (10 3/4 inches). He has played both right tackle and left tackle. He will play in the NFL for a long time." -- Gil Brandt
Where do fans rank Stanley?
We asked Twitter users who they considered the best player in college football. It's not a huge surprise that Stanley didn't receive a vote, since he toils in relative obscurity along the Fighting Irish's offensive line.
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