NFF National Scholar-Athletes
OT – Stanford University
3.52 GPA – Biomechanical Engineering
Head Coach: David Shaw | Athletics Director: Bernard Muir
Faculty Athletics Representative: Dr. Jeffrey Koseff
An All-Pac-12 offensive tackle who plans to attend medical school, Walter Rouse "truly makes a difference in the lives of those around him," according to his head coach David Shaw. The Silver Spring, Maryland, native becomes Stanford's 15th NFF National Scholar-Athlete and second in a row following Thomas Booker in 2021.
A 2021 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll member, Rouse boasts an impressive 3.52 GPA in biomechanical engineering. He is on track to graduate next summer, and he plans to attend medical school to become a cardiothoracic surgeon specializing in pediatrics.
This season, Rouse has started all but one game on the offensive line while helping Stanford average 397.7 yards per game. He has helped pave the way for running back Casey Filkins, who is sixth in the Pac-12 with 68.3 rushing yards per game.
In 2021, Rouse helped the Cardinal average 302.4 yards per game, and he was named the DC Touchdown Club Player of the Week following the team's upset of then-No. 14 USC. In 2020, he earned Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 honors after blocking for an offense that ranked third in the conference with 420.2 total yards per game. Just the second true freshman to start at left tackle for the Cardinal since 2000, Rouse earned Second Team Freshman All-America honors in 2019.
Rouse is a member of the Stanford Football Leadership Council and an Eagle Scout, and he has interned with the Stanford Archeology Center and the cardiothoracic department of Stanford University Medical Center. He participated in a "Meet the Makers" event on campus, where he designed, fabricated, welded and painted a deadlift bar holder for the Stanford weight room. Rouse speaks regularly about the importance of education, football and priorities at the Emery Heights Community Center, and he serves as a mentor for a local high school athlete, providing him with guidance and encouragement through consistent communication. He has also coached at football clinics and youth football camps, participate in Stanford's Team IMPACT program and read to students during Civic Engagement Day.
