K.J. Costello Sets Decision Date: Where Will 4-Star QB Land?

At the beginning of the month, 4-star California quarterback K.J. Costello said a commitment would be soon. The nation's No. 4 pro-style quarterback, according to 247Sports' Composite, on Friday morning set the announcement date.

Costello confirmed to Bleacher Report that he will choose between USC, Stanford or Michigan on Thursday at his high school, Santa Margarita Catholic. Costello recently spoke with Bleacher Report to discuss each program.

For the next six days, fans will wait patiently—some impatiently—on Costello's decision, and you can bet coaches will put in their final pitches in an effort to change his mind. While Costello has a sound idea of where he wants to end up, he's keeping everything quiet for Thursday.

All three schools have excellent cases for landing him, but it would be a minor upset if Costello doesn't commit to Stanford. The opportunity of playing for a Pac-12 contender and also getting a degree from a school with an outstanding reputation is something that attracts Costello to Stanford. Costello called it a "package deal" playing at Stanford and getting a good degree. He wants to major in either business or engineering.

Being the first school to touch base with Costello when he was a freshman is another advantage for the Cardinal. Costello has built solid relationships with both quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard and director of offense Mike Bloomgren.

Stanford is the favorite to land Costello, according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, but Michigan and USC shouldn't be considered out of the race. In fact, with Michigan, it could be the exact opposite. The Wolverines once were considered a dark horse, but new head coach Jim Harbaugh has teamed with quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch to go all-in on the 4-star quarterback.

"He's a coach I have a ton of respect for," Costello told Bleacher Report on March 10, referring to Harbaugh. "I watched him in the NFL. He's an intense guy, and I like his style. I think he can turn the program around in two years."

USC has the proximity advantage, and of the three schools, it may be the most familiar to Costello. The campus is less than an hour away from his home, he's attended Trojans football games since he was five years old and likes Steve Sarkisian's uptempo style of offense.

USC also has a good academic reputation, but if Costello's final decision comes down to that, look for him to choose Stanford. When asked about the X-factor in his decision, Costello Friday afternoon texted: "Best fit where I feel like home."

Costello has been to all three campuses on unofficial visit. One of those will win a huge recruiting battle Thursday.

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