Follow our 2017 FloXC Countdown, where FloTrack ranks the top 25 cross country teams and individuals in the NCAA this season which will be LIVE on FloTrack. The No. 3 men's spot goes to Stanford, and here's why:

Probable Top Four:

JR Grant Fisher (7:50 3K; 13:30 5K; 1st at '17 NCAA 5K; 5th at '16 NCAA XC)
SO Thomas Ratcliffe (4:01 Mile; 7:53 3K; 8th at '16 Pac-12 XC)
SR Sam Wharton (14:03 5K; 29:23 10K; 41st at '16 NCAA XC)
JR Steven Fahy (8:03 3K; 8:46 3K SC; 14:00 5K; 59th at '16 NCAA XC)

Fifth Man Battle:

SR Jack Keelan (7:51 3K; 13:40 5K; 29:13 10K; 86th at '16 NCAA XC)
SO Alex Ostberg (4:05 Mile; 13:59 5K; 34th at '16 Pac-12 XC)
FR Alek Parsons (8:18 3K; 14:10 5K; 3rd at '15 NXN)
JR Blair Hurlock (8:13 3K; 14:18 5K; 36th at '16 Pac-12 XC)
SO Will Lauer (8:18 3K; 14:28 5K; 30:02 10K)

Impact Freshmen/Transfers:

DJ Principe via Johnston, RI (4:00 Mile; 8:47 2 Mile; 3rd at '17 NBN Indoor 2 Mile)
Connor Lane via Raleigh, NC (4:08 1600; 8:47 3200; 14:17 5K; 8th at '16 FL XC)
Callum Bolger via San Luis Obispo, CA (4:05 Mile; 8:45 3200; 10th at '16 FL XC)
Michael Vernau via Davis, CA (8:49 2 Mile; 23rd at '16 NXN)

Analysis:

The past three years have been good to the Stanford men -- the Cardinal have finished in second place twice ('14, '16) and third place once ('15). Can they do it again in 2017?

Three-time cross country All-American Sean McGorty has graduated, as has last year's No. 5 in Garrett Sweatt, but top man Grant Fisher returns as one of the frontrunners for the individual title after winning the NCAA outdoor 5K over Justyn Knight of Syracuse, who went on to make the world final this summer.

Fisher has placed 17th and fifth in his two showings at NCAA XC, and he's sure to be a low sick as long as he stays healthy. The junior has experienced back-up in Sam Wharton and Steven Fahy, who were 41st and 59th in Terre Haute last year; plus, there's Jack Keelan, who was 86th last fall and ran PBs of 3:59 for the mile and 7:51 for 3K indoors before disappearing from the spring track season.

What the Cardinal really need, though, is for the younger athletes to break out. Thomas Ratcliffe was the top freshman at Pac-12 XC in eighth, and though he faded and did not finish at NCAAs, it's worth a reminder that he did not run cross country in high school and will likely benefit greatly from the extra year of training. Alex Ostberg, 34th at Pac-12 XC, broke out on the track with a 13:59 5K at the Portland Track Festival, and Alek Parsons, a top recruit from Utah who redshirted all of last year, ran a quick 14:10 unattached 5K this spring. 

They have a hugely talented recruiting class with the likes of four-minute miler D.J. Principe, Foot Locker All-Americans Connor Lane, Callum Bolger, and Michael Vernau. Of the group, Principe seems most likely to make an impact right away, but the transition to 10K is tough to predict.

FULL MEN'S RANKINGS HERE