Stanford Cardinal: 6 Seniors Other Than Andrew Luck Who Will Be Missed

Although Andrew Luck receives almost all of the praise for Stanford's success, he is nothing without his supporting cast. Also, although Luck is only a junior, it is assumed that he will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft.

The senior-class players are always the emotional leaders who lead by example and their play on their field.

The Cardinal will lose four starting seniors on their offensive squad after this season, including Andrew Luck's core and most productive receivers. On the other side of the ball, the Cardinal will lose five defensive starters.

With Luck certainly on the move to the NFL after this season, Stanford will lose arguably the greatest college football quarterback of all time and an entire receiving corps. Of the 23 graduating seniors, here are the top six that we will miss most on the Stanford Cardinal.

Coby Fleener, TE

Stanford tight end Coby Fleener is one of Andrew Luck's favorite targets. Standing 6'6", Fleener makes a huge and effective target for Luck. He is extremely effective with short-yardage plays and is a prime target when the Cardinal are in the red zone.

He currently leads the team with eight touchdown receptions and ranks second with 431 receiving yards.

Chris Owusu, WE

Stanford wide receiver Chris Owusu is also a prime target for Luck's passes. Three days ago, Owusu suffered another concussion, though, and is out indefinitely. Still, Owusu will be sorely missed lining up against opposing defensive backs.

Owusu has accrued 376 yards and two touchdowns this season. He's amassed over 1,500 career receiving yards with 10 career touchdowns. 

Michael Thomas, S

Cardinal safety Michael Thomas is one of the top leaders not only on the defense, but also on the whole team. He is Stanford's top safety, and the Cardinal will have a difficult spot to fill once Thomas graduates and possibly heads to the NFL.

Thomas leads all seniors in tackles with 44 and also has one sack and two interceptions. He has already matched his career interception total this season.

Griff Whalen, WR

Andrew Luck's roommate is Griff Whalen. Since they became roommates, their chemistry has shown on the field. Whalen is a dependable fourth-year player, who can always be counted on to catch the ball when it's thrown to him.

A former walk-on, Griffin will be a missed emotional leader for the Stanford receiving corps.

He has 537 receiving yards, which leads the entire team. He also has two touchdowns on the season.

Jeremy Stewart, RB

A fifth-year senior, Stewart is one of the most powerful and strong running backs that Stanford has at their disposal. Although often injured, Stewart has had a very effective and consistent season thus far. He has scored seven touchdowns, good for second on the team.

Stewart has already recorded more rushing attempts this season than in any of his previous seasons. He is only averaging four yards per carry, but he's making them count with those seven touchdowns.

Chase Thomas, OLB

Chase Thomas, like safety Michael Thomas, is one of the top defensive leaders for the Cardinal. He enjoyed a breakout season last year under previous head coach Jim Harbaugh's 3-4 defense. He is an All-American candidate and was an All-Pac-10 selection last season.

This season, Thomas has recorded 35 total tackles and has 6.5 sacks. He will leave a large hole in the linebacking corps after he graduates; he has 19.5 career sacks and 141 tackles.