Aziz Shittu to Stanford: Cardinal Land 5-Star DT Prospect

Stanford already was one of the big winners on National Signing Day, but it got even richer late on Wednesday afternoon.

Via CardinalReport.com's Twitter account, the Cardinal have secured the commitment of Aziz Shittu, a 5-star defensive tackle out of Atwater, Calif.:

With Shittu in the mix, Stanford now has one of the very best recruiting classes in the nation.

Player Ranking/High School Accomplishments

Rivals.com has given Shittu a 5-star grade, and has him down as the No. 3 defensive tackle and the No. 27 prospect in the country. The site also compares him to Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Shittu started in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Final College Choices: Cal, Stanford, UCLA, USC

What Shittu Brings

Shittu has a solid 6'2," 275-pound frame to build on, and he's going to need to if he wants to be a dominant defensive tackle at the collegiate level.

The good news for Shittu is that he already has more than enough athleticism. He is capable of exploding off the line of scrimmage, and he's agile enough to get around blockers to make his way toward the quarterback. He'll fit in both a 3-4 and a 4-3.

Why Shittu and Stanford Are a Good Fit

Stanford has a reputation of being a team that dominates in the trenches, but its offensive line is traditionally stronger than its defensive line. 

Adding Shittu allows the Cardinal to even things out a bit. He still has room to grow, but Shittu has the skills to become an impact defensive lineman. That's something Stanford could use.

Projected 2012 Impact

My guess is that Shittu will be incorporated right away. Because he needs to add some bulk and refine his techniques, it would be a shock if he started, but David Shaw will use Shittu in his rotation. In essence, 2012 will consist of on-the-job training. 

In 2013 and beyond, though, watch out for Shittu.