Davis Warren Tabs Wide Receiver to Pop Off the Screen for Stanford This Season

While Michigan transfer Davis Warren hasn't officially been named the starting quarterback to begin the 2026 campaign, the writing appears to be on the wall. Not only was he one of three players sent off for the ACC Media Kickoff — typically reserved for players the program wants to highlight — but he has the most experience under center out of Stanford's QB options, and according to his new head coach Tavita Pritchard, he's a leader that has the skills they're looking for.  In the recently posted Stanford season preview for the ACC Digital Network, Cardinal QB Davis Warren was asked which player on the team fans may not be aware of just yet.  "I think Nico Brown is a guy," Warren said. "Transferred from Yale, and coming over he's been about the right type of stuff from the start. You watch his highlights at Yale, and he's just a ball player. Makes plays; willing to do the dirty work in the run game, and then just explosive in the pass game." He finished by saying that Brown will be a guy that pops off the screen for those that are watching Cardinal football.  Why This Answer Matters  This is coming from the starting quarterback of the program, talking about someone he hasn't played a single game with. That will come in Week 0 at home against Hawaii. Both players are college veterans and have seemingly developed a nice rapport with one another in their time together.  That type of connection leads to results in the passing game during the season.  The other big reason here is that Caden High is set to miss some time with an undisclosed injury, which will mean more opportunities for Brown to become the main option in the passing game. Back in June we tabbed Brown as someone to watch because of his tremendous PFF grades. Now he'll be given a chance to show just how well those numbers translate in a competitive conference like the ACC.  Last season at Yale he tallied 71 receptions for 1,085 yards and 11 touchdowns. This year, Stanford's offensive line looks to be headed in the right direction with the emergence of Niki Prongos last season and the addition of center Aidan Kilstrom.  While Stanford doesn't have the best projected offensive line in college football, they have a group that should be able to provide time for Warren to operate effectively in the passing game. If Warren and Brown are clicking, that should also open up plenty of holes for Micah Ford to run through and accumulate yardage.  This Stanford Cardinal offense has a real chance to surprise some people, and it will hinge on the offensive line's production, QB and WR play, and the running game's efficiency.