4-Star QB K.J. Costello on Committing to Stanford: 'I Feel Free'

The idea of playing college football for a contender attracted California 4-star quarterback K.J. Costello.

The idea of graduating with a degree that potentially holds greater weight, however, won him over.

Costello ended his recruiting process Thursday afternoon, verbally committing to Stanford and becoming the Cardinal's keystone commitment of the 2016 class. In front of friends, family, teammates and faculty at Santa Margarita Catholic, Costello delivered the much-anticipated announcement, choosing the Stanford Cardinal over the USC Trojans and the Michigan Wolverines.

"I feel like I've released a 500-pound burden off my back. I feel free," Costello said. "I made possibly the biggest decision of my life. Now I'm looking forward to moving on and working as hard as I ever have before."

Costello had Stanford, USC and Michigan as his top three for several weeks entering Thursday, and while each school offered great athletic and academic resumes, he said his decision came down to his comfort level with the staff and the environment. Costello was recruited by coach Mike Bloomgren (director of offense) and coach Tavita Pritchard (quarterbacks/wide receivers).

Costello always said academics would play a major role in his decision, and Stanford is one of the most recognized schools in the country in that regard. Costello said he's interested in pursuing a degree in either business or engineering.

"At the end of the day," Costello said, "the football side is a priority on one end, but I had to look beyond football to my future. They're all great academic institutions. I just wanted to pick the best fit for me and go to a place where I can excel right way."

Costello is only the second player to commit to Stanford from the 2016 class. He joins Florida 3-star defensive tackle Bo Peek, who committed on Feb. 24. Bloomgren also recruited Peek, per 247Sports.

Stanford didn't sign a quarterback in its 2015 class, and when he arrives on campus, the battle for playing time could come down to him, 2013 signee Ryan Burns and 2014 signee Keller Chryst. Measured at The Opening Los Angeles regional at 6'4" and 216 pounds, Costello is a pro-style quarterback with a strong arm and a gunslinger's mentality.

According to 247Sports, Costello threw for more than 3,100 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior for Santa Margarita Catholic. He has thrown for nearly 5,100 yards and 41 touchdowns since his sophomore year.

Costello said that when deciding between the three finalists, he tried to give pros and cons for everything he could think of. He even considered stadium capacity and playing in front of rowdy, packed houses.

Had that been the X-factor, Michigan would have won. The Wolverines can put 115,000-plus in Michigan Stadium. USC's Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum can pack 93,000-plus, while Stanford Stadium holds a little more than 50,000.

"Walking out in front of 110,000 or 60,000, no doubt I thought that might sway my decision," he said. "But it really doesn't matter. It all sounds pretty much near the same on the field."

Stanford was the winner of a decision Costello called "one of the toughest things of my life." He said he changed his mind several times.

"One week, it would be this school. The next week, it was another," Costello said. "It was a crazy decision for me. Even after the decision, I'd feel 100 percent comfortable going to any of the other two [schools], but at the end of the day, I had to make a decision that was home for me."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. Player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles.