Former Stanford wide receiver Keanu Nelson announced his intent to transfer to BYU this past week. Nelson's transfer makes this one of the most explosive groups of off season wide receivers to join the Cougars in recent memory. Nelson is another one of the scatback type slot receivers that BYU has been recruiting heavily lately. You have to hand it to Bronco Mendenhall, his improvement of the overall program speed this off season has been impressive.
According to the Deseret News, Nelson has already received his bachelor's degree in science, technology, and society from Stanford, and is transferring to BYU for more playing time. The loss of the Cardinal due to their program's depth is BYU's gain. Nelson should contribute immediately, and the Cardinal are known for their players' football IQ. Nelson didn't see much of the field this past season, and he is somewhat undersized, but for those Cougar fans underwhelmed by Nelson's size at 5' 11" and 184 pounds and lack of production, let me submit to you another undersized Stanford wide receiver who didn't post gaudy stats in college, yet found a way to take his next team to the next level: Doug Baldwin. You know, the guy who made circus catches of Russell Wilson's dimes all season, capped off by a diving touchdown through two defenders in the Super Bowl. I know he's not the same guy, but he's a Stanford guy, and the Cougars could definitely use that kind of football pedigree.
Nelson brings a similar skill set to the Cougars, and should make immediate impact in elevating the Cougars' passing game as well as adding to the bevy of interesting choices that Mendenhall and company will have to make this summer when it comes to picking a return man. One thing that players that come out of the Farm are known for is their drive, and Nelson should be able to contribute plenty of that, plus help transpose the culture of a program that has been to four consecutive BCS bowls to the young Cougars. More experience on the roster is always a good thing and clubhouse leadership can never be overvalued.