Can Stanford Beat out Notre Dame and Michigan for Blue Chip OG Joshua Garnett?

It's all about recruiting now that the college football season has ended.  With the BCS national championship over with, teams are preparing to better their future.

One of the top prospects still out there is offensive lineman Joshua Garnett.  He's 6-foot-5, 275 pounds and one of the top guards in this year's class.

Garnett is extremely athletic, plays with a motor that never stops and has a very high football IQ.

He had a very long list of offers from many schools, but has recently cut that list down to Notre Dame, Michigan and Stanford. 

Many think that Notre Dame and Michigan are the favorites in his services, but could Stanford pull off the recruiting upset?

He's expected to make his decision Jan. 26. 

What He Said About Stanford

While Garnett was expected to make a decision between Michigan and Notre Dame, he decided to take a last minute visit to Stanford as well.

Here are a few things he said about his visit out west:

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"David Yankey was my host and I got to meet a lot of the other players and the other recruits," Garnett said.  "Hanging out with the guys, guys like Graham Shuler and Kyle Murphy, and other guys, and just getting a real feel for them stood out to me. 

"I met Charlie Hopkins (a freshman on Stanford), and he’s from Washington, too, so that was cool just talking about him, and talking to all of the other guys about how Washington is where the best football is played.  I really got to hang out with the players a lot more.

"It was good to hang out with the coaches and really talk to a vast variety of them," Garnett said.  "We talked about where they see me playing. 

"I think it was a lot of guard before, but they hadn’t seen me in a couple of months, and so when I showed up, I’ve gotten a little taller and filled up my shoulders.  I’m 6-5, 305, right now. 

"I thought guard was going to be definite for me, but now they’re thinking it could be tackle.  Wherever I could fit in, I’ll play."

 

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Why He Would Consider Stanford

The number one reason to consider Stanford is, of course, the education they provide.  You're talking about a top school; only a handful of schools are ranked higher when it comes to academics.

On the football field, sure, Andrew Luck is heading to the NFL, but it would it be fun to block for a running back like Barry Sanders Jr. 

He is rated one of the top backs in the country and with a solid offensive line blocking for him, he could lead the Cardinal to a lot of success. 

Stanford has already landed one of the top centers in the country with Graham Shuler; adding Garnett in the mix sure wouldn't hurt.

Garnett will also have a chance to start right away with David DeCastro and Jonathan Martin likely leaving early for the NFL draft. 

That leaves two enormous holes in the Cardinal offensive line; Garnett would have a great opportunity to fill one of them right away.

Prediction

It's down to Stanford, Michigan and Notre Dame for Garnett.  And at the end of the day, I think his decision will be the Michigan Wolverines. 

All three schools are great and have a lot to offer, but the Wolverines are in the best position.

Michigan has the best team overall, and the best chance to win right away.  Stanford is losing a ton of talent, and there are so many questions with Notre Dame.

The Irish continue to recruit well, but they're not winning, and who knows how long Brian Kelly will actually remain the head coach if things remain the way they are.

Michigan is in a stable conference, have a great team and there's a chance they could put together one of the best offensive lines with Garnett's commitment.

Michigan has already landed five offensive tackles who are ranked in the top 50 of this year's class.  Add one of the top guards and you have a ridiculous offensive line built for the future.

It's clear Stanford made an impact on Garnett, but I think his best fit will be with the Wolverines.

Randy Chambers is a B/R Featured Columnist that covers College Football and the NFL. You can contact him @Randy_Chambers or [e-mail]