12 for '12: Drew Terrell

We have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the likes of Stepfan Taylor and Chase Thomas this season, but replacing Andrew Luck and the other members of last year's 11-win squad will require a team effort. Over the next 12 days we'll profile 12 less heralded Cardinal players whose ability to adjust to larger roles could determine whether Stanford is competing for a third straight BCS invite or settling for a spot in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

Name: Drew Terrell
Position: WR
Year: Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 5-11/180
Career Stats: 11 catches, 91 yards, TD
Shoes to Fill: Griff Whalen, Chris Owusu

Where He Came From: Rated as the 57th-best wide receiver in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com, Terrell, a standout at Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton, chose Stanford over Arizona State. He arrived on the Farm as the least touted of the three receivers in Jim Harbaugh's '09 class, a group that included fellow seniors Jemari Roberts and Jamal-Rashad Patterson.

What He's Done: Terrell appeared in 10 games as a true freshman, almost all of them as a punt returner. While he wasn't a major contributor, he proved quite prescient. "We're going to be the group that takes charge and puts Stanford on the map," Terrell said during the week leading up to the Cardinal's thrilling 51-42 win over No. 7 Oregon. "The time is now." Terrell's time, at least as a wide receiver, would have to wait. He had two catches for 11 yards and earned an all-Pac-10 honorable mention nod as a punt returner in 2010. He caught eight passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, and led the Pac-12 in punt return average last season.

Training Camp Outlook: The graduation of Whalen and Owusu leaves Stanford's receiving corps--hardly a strength of the team in 2011--depleted. Sophomore Ty Montgomery, who caught 24 balls as a freshman, is the Cardinal's leading returning receiver and coach David Shaw's expectations for the speedster are "through the roof." Montgomery's effectiveness will be limited, however, if the QBTBD doesn't have more than option outside of Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo.

Terrell is penciled in as the starter opposite Montgomery, but Patterson, converted running back Kelsey Young, 27-year-old Jordan Pratt, and true freshmen Kodi Whitfield and Michael Rector will also compete for playing time. Shaw tells Kevin Gemmell that Terrell is doing everything in his power to seize the opportunity thus far:

"Drew Terrell has really attacked his senior year much like Griff Whalen did the year before and Doug Baldwin the year before," Shaw said. "It's a big year for him, no doubt. He's got such great trust from the coaching staff. He knows all the plays and formations ... he's the leader in that room and of the group. How we use him will change week to week. He's a good route runner and he's been our best blocker for two years."

Baldwin was a revelation as a senior in 2010, when he had 58 catches and nine touchdowns. The current Seattle Seahawks wideout entered his final season on the Farm with 38 career catches, including only four as a junior. With 56 catches as a senior, Whalen more than doubled his total (24) from the previous three seasons.

Terrell is the same height as Baldwin and his ability as a blocker might be reason enough to keep him on the field. Unlike Baldwin and Whalen, of course, he won't have Andrew Luck throwing him the ball.

Terrell on Twitter: @RealontheRise04

When all is said and done, more is always said than done..

— Drew Terrell (@RealontheRise04) July 11, 2012

Alphabetically Speaking: On the list of Stanford's all-time letterwinners, Terrell falls between Chester C. Terriell (1908) and wide receiver Eric B. Test (1973, 1974).

Numerically Speaking: Terrell wore No. 9 as a freshman and sophomore, as No. 4 was taken by QB Jason Forcier in 2009 and RB Michael Spanos in 2010. There may be a more famous Stanford player who sported No. 4, but no one wore it better than Mark Bradford in the Cardinal's upset of USC.

Related Video: Terrell, Stepfan Taylor, Usua Amanam and Terrence Brown singing "This Is How We Do It."

Fun Fact: Terrell once sacked Matt Barkley. (Not really.)

What do you think? Can Terrell be the next Baldwin or Whalen?