Stanford Cardinal lineman Walker Little opts out of 2020 season, eyes NFL draft

Stanfordoffensive tackle Walker Little announced Thursday that he is opting out of the season and preparing for the NFL draft.

"This fall, I will indeed graduate, but with so much uncertainty regarding the football season, the time is right to opt out of the 2020-21 season and prepare for the NFL Draft," he wrote.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Little as the fifth-rated offensive tackle in the class. Todd McShay has him as the sixth-best.

Little was named the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Co-Player of the Year in 2017, when he became Stanford's first true freshman to start at left tackle since 2000, and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore.

He entered the 2019 season as an Outland Trophy candidate and was projected by Kiper and others as a top-15 draft pick, but Little suffered a season-ending knee injury in the season opener against Northwestern.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.