Photo credit: Bob Drebin

  For a guy who didn’t start playing football until high school, David

DeCastro caught on fast.

  A consensus All-American in 2011 and two-time first-team all-conference selection,

the Bellevue, Washington product has become

one of the top offensive linemen in the country. The redshirt junior

right guard was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and semifinalist for

the Lombardi Award. He anchored a line that allowed only 0.75 sacks per

game – eighth-best in the nation, and helped Stanford rush for 207.92

yards per game, 23rd in the country.

“He was exceptional  as a leader, he was exceptional the way he studied

the game, and his play was just unreal,” said Cardinal offensive line

coach Mike Bloomgren. “He dominated his opponents game-in and game-out.”

  The chiseled 6-foot-5, 307-pound DeCastro, known as “Double-D” to

teammates and coaches, is never satisfied with his play. Forget the

accolades; he’s convinced there is always room for improvement.

“Kind of surreal, to be honest,” he said of his post-season

recognition. “Doesn’t really seem like it’s happening. The way I’ve

been coached, it’s like in one ear and out the other. It’s always that

search for perfection. You get a pat on the butt and it’s back to

reality.”

In this case, reality comes in the form of explosive Oklahoma State,

Stanford’s opponent on Jan. 2 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale,

Arizona. The third-ranked Cowboys average 49.3 points per game, which

means the Cardinal offense must click to keep pace.

“We have to play perfect,” said DeCastro. “They put up a lot of points.

We need to do our job on our side of the ball. We have to control the

ball and the clock and put points on the board.”

Scoring hasn’t been a problem for fourth-ranked Stanford, which

averages 41.9 points and is led by two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up

Andrew Luck. Ask any Cardinal player and he will tell you Luck is the

best player in the country.

“Of course he was,” said DeCastro, who is slightly biased, since he

lives with Luck, wide receiver Griff Whalen and center Sam

Schwartzstein. “You wouldn’t have to tell him that. He’s on to beating

Oklahoma State and has more important things to worry about.”

DeCastro’s parents were born in South Africa and his father played

rugby. DeCastro spent about six months in the country but doesn’t

remember much.

“We’ve been back for a couple trips,” he said. “I went on safari and

the game reserves are a lot of fun. I’d love to go back there if I get

some time.”

Football is still kind of a blur to his father, who nevertheless

instilled great discipline and work ethic in his son.

“He doesn’t know a drop about it,” said DeCastro. “My mom was kind of

scared to let me play with the older kids. I think she kind of enjoys

it now.”

Why not? DeCastro has tremendous strength and is seldom out-manned.

“The one thing David does so much better than most people you see in

college football right now is he drive blocks and moves people,” said

Bloomgren, who spent the last four years coaching for the New York Jets.

“You know Russ Grimm, in his (NFL) Hall of Fame speech said there is no

greater feeling in the game of football than to move a man from Point A

to Point B against his will. And I’m not sure I’ve coached anybody at

any level that does that better than David DeCastro.”

DeCastro wears jersey No. 52 and it’s no accident. At Bellevue High

School, the number went to the best offensive lineman and was passed

down to him from Stephen Schilling, who went on to play for Michigan

and is now a rookie with the San Diego Chargers.

“I got lucky,” DeCastro said of the jersey being available at Stanford

his freshman year. “It was all mine.”

Coming into the season, there were major questions about the offensive

line, where DeCastro and left tackle Jonathan Martin were the only

returning starters. But Schwartzstein quickly emerged as a force at

center, as did Cameron Fleming at right tackle and David Yankey at left

guard.

“I’m pretty happy with the way the guys around me played,” DeCastro

said. “Sam stepped up huge. Fleming and Yankey – those guys did

awesome. We kept meshing more and more every week.”

DeCastro said two of his toughest opponents this year were DaJohn

Harris of USC and Anthony Laurenzi of Washington State. He said the

Stanford offense is too complicated to spend time trash talking.

“We’re too tired doing our jobs,” said DeCastro. “We can’t waste energy

jabbing.”

DeCastro has three classes remaining and will finish his engineering

degree this spring. Although he has another year of eligibility and

hasn’t announced his intentions, his next stop is likely the NFL.

“I definitely aspire to be a professional football player,” he said. “I

haven’t said anything and I won’t until after the Fiesta Bowl.”

As you might expect, DeCastro can hold his own at the training table.

Surprisingly, his favorite food is sushi. He loves going to “Sushi 85”

in Palo Alto, where it’s all-you-can-eat for $25.

“I ate like $150 worth of stuff one time,” said DeCastro. “Me alone. 

Probably not the best thing, but it’s delicious.”

No matter where he is a year from now, DeCastro will always be tight

with his fellow offensive linemen and has forged life-long memories.

Like eating together every Thursday night; watching “The Office” and

“Modern Family” while stretched out on Whalen’s recliner; and razzing

each other in team meetings.

“Just being around the guys,” he said. “The camaraderie and the

bonding. The experience we’ve had these last four years, coming from

where we started. There’s good and bad. That’s what brings you

together.”