Michigan Football Recruiting: Why Joshua Garnett Must Sign with Wolverines

The No. 2 guard in the country, Joshua Garnett, will reportedly decide between Michigan and Stanford on Thursday.

And, if he knows what's good for him, he'll sign with Michigan.

Few freshman get a shot to start right off the bat in college, but Garnett is good enough that he could start in his first year.

For me, it's quite simple. Stanford's Andrew Luck is leaving for the NFL and Garnett has the chance to block for dual-threat quarterback Denard Robinson at Michigan. Case closed.

Michigan is also a rising program, coming off an 11-2 season in which the Wolverines won the Sugar Bowl against No. 11 Virginia Tech. The Wolverines went from being unranked to the No. 13 team in the country behind underrated head coach Brady Hoke.

It's quite simple: you are recognized more by the nation when you protect a quarterback like Robinson. Garnett not only has the ability to be a dominant run blocker in college, he projects as a very good pass blocker. In that sense, he could be a big part of the Wolverines offense given Robinson passed for over 2,100 yards and rushed for over 1,100 yards last season.

It's hard to say where Garnett will ultimately land. Michigan has a good thing going with Hoke, but Stanford has been an elite program the last few years and new head coach David Shaw showed he could more than hold his own in relief of the departed Jim Harbaugh. Stanford is also closer to home, Garnett being a Washington product.

But if I was Garnett, I wouldn't hesitate in choosing Michigan. He doesn't know how the next quarterback in charge is going to fare in Stanford and Michigan's focus on the running game works to his primary strengths as an elite run blocker.

I see Garnett choosing the Michigan Wolverines.