Stanford center Graham Shuler was effusive in his praise of Kevin Hogan's leadership abilities last year.

"If quarterbacks were naval captains, I'd want to be on Hogan's ship," he told me.

Naturally, that quote came back to mind Tuesday evening, when the Cardinal team voted Hogan and five other seniors to captain roles. The other two Stanford offensive captains, Kyle Murphy and Joshua Garnett, come from the left side of the line. Inside linebacker Blake Martinez, outside linebacker Kevin Anderson, and cornerback Ronnie Harris are the defensive captains.

Our leadership runs deep. Proud to announce this year's six team captains, as voted by their teammates. #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/A6JiR7fvzd — Stanford Football (@StanfordFball) August 26, 2015

The vote gives a strong indication of where Stanford's team leadership lies. That left side of the offensive line should be a particular focal point of the offense, while the veteran linebackers -- perhaps unsurprisingly -- form the core of a reloading defense. As the lone returner with significant game experience in the secondary, Harris has assumed a mentor role in a room full of young defensive backs.

One player who wasn't voted a captain but who has been lauded for his leadership efforts is senior defensive lineman Aziz Shittu. He was the organizer of bonding activities and extra on-field work for that group -- which is also in major state of transition -- this offseason.

Hogan, by the way, was voted a team captain for the second straight year, becoming the first Stanford player to receive that honor since safety Bo McNally in 2009.