Noor Davis Picks Stanford

Friday the 13th was a great day for head coach David Shaw and the Cardinal football team. Noor Davis, the top-rated outside linebacker in the Class of 2012, has committed to Stanford. Davis announced his decision today in the cafeteria of The Villages Charter School in Oxford, Fla., where he is finishing his junior year.

Davis, who has a 4.3 GPA and family out West, had narrowed his choices to Stanford, Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, and USC. Academics was a major factor in Davis's decision:

"I just feel like there was no better place where I could further my education than a world-class school like Stanford," Davis sad. "Also, when they came in No. 4 in the nation in football I felt like it was a perfect fit for me, both academically and athletically. ...I feel like this is the best decision for me for the rest of my life."

Davis had 101 tackles last season. Alligator Army, which profiled Davis earlier this week, compared his field speed to Percy Harvin. Not bad. No need to avoid ladders or black cats today.