NFL Draft profile: Kevin Danser

By Joseph Beyda

May 4, 2014, 9:34 p.m.

Kevin Danser, Offensive Guard

Alter ego: “The fighter.” Despite losing the battle for Stanford’s right tackle position entering his junior season, Danser kept grinding and earned a starting job the next year. He held down that spot for two seasons.

CBSSports.com projection: Undrafted

Cardinal career: Danser, then a junior, was the front-runner to take over for Derek Hall at right tackle entering the 2011 season. Sophomore Cameron Fleming ended up winning the job, while Danser remained a reserve for another year. But Danser stuck with it, and became Stanford’s starting right guard entering 2012.

The results? Twenty-eight straight starts on two Rose Bowl-winning teams and a pair of All-Pac-12 recognitions (second team in 2012, honorable mention in 2013). Danser helped pave the way for two 1,000-yard rushers, all the while adding a youthful spirit to one of the best offensive lines in college football. The biomechanical engineering major has also been named to the Pac-12 All-Academic second-team twice.

Pro stock: As one of four outgoing starters on the offensive line — including a couple of likely high-round draft picks in Fleming and David Yankey — Danser isn’t the first Cardinal lineman that scouts will be looking at. But a camp invite is by no means out of the question, and one CBSSports.com analyst even called him “one of the most underrated players in the country” in October. If NFL scouts have been taking note of Danser’s mean streak, it could be a special draft season for the Tunnel Workers Union.

Highlight: Out of Stanford’s beloved power running formation, Danser pulled — and made a crucial block —on Stepfan Taylor’s game-sealing run in the 2013 Rose Bowl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mcrwjHDi14&t=135m39s

Contact Joseph Beyda at jbeyda ‘at’ stanford.edu.

Joseph Beyda is the editor in chief of The Stanford Daily. Previously he has worked as the executive editor, webmaster, football editor, a sports desk editor, the paper's summer managing editor and a beat reporter for football, baseball and women's soccer. He co-authored The Daily's recent football book, "Rags to Roses," and covered the soccer team's national title run for the New York Times. Joseph is a senior from Cupertino, Calif. majoring in Electrical Engineering. To contact him, please email jbeyda "at" stanford.edu.