Another Gorman defender picks Stanford

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Published Tuesday, April 14, 2009 | 12:50 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, April 14, 2009 | 1:15 p.m.

Stanford’s football team might have to change its nickname from the Cardinal to the Gaels.

Bishop Gorman junior defensive end Alex Turner committed to Stanford Tuesday, joining teammate Evan Palelei, who committed to the Cardinal Saturday.

The two have been on the same team since elementary school and Turner said he looks forward to taking their careers to the next level together.

“It’s nice that Evan committed there, too, but that wasn’t the major deciding factor,” Turner said.

Turner also had offers from UCLA, Oregon, Washington, San Diego and UNLV but said he felt at home during an unofficial visit to Stanford.

“I had been to a lot of places – UCLA, Oregon and Oklahoma,” Turner said. “When I got to Stanford, I realized this is the place I fit in. This is where I belong.”

Turner has been a force in Gorman’s defense the past two years, helping the Gaels go undefeated and win the state title in 2007. Gorman has recorded eight shutouts the past two years and held opponents to under 10 points another eight times.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Turner had 56 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2008.

Verbal commitments are non-binding and do not become official until national signing day in February 2010.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected].