K.J. Costello to Stanford: Cardinal Land 4-Star QB Prospect

K.J. Costello, one of the West Coast's best prep quarterbacks, is headed to Northern California. Costello announced his verbal commitment to Stanford on Thursday, choosing the Cardinal over USC and Michigan.  

David Lombardi of ESPN reported the decision: 

Costello, a 4-star recruit in 247Sports' composite rankings, is viewed as one of the best pro-style quarterbacks in the nation. He's ranked No. 4 overall at his position and is fourth among Californians.

After struggling with turnovers as a sophomore, Costello rocketed up prospect rankings over the past year. He threw for 3,123 yards and 23 touchdowns against 10 interceptions during his junior campaign, showing a poise and confidence in the pocket not seen the year before. 

Santa Margarita Catholic, a national power that regularly produced Division I talent, is expected to have a huge 2015 with Costello at the helm.

Touted coming into his high school career, he's received offers from all over the country. He also took time to make plenty of unofficial visits, and his family ties made USC look like a solid choice. 

"It’s an hour from home, my grandparents and everybody lives right up there," Costello said, per Lindsey Thiry of The Los Angeles Times. "I've been an 'SC fan my whole life."

For most of the process, he's been expected to stay in California. 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictions gave Stanford the early edge, with 70 percent of predictions going the Cardinal's way. USC, quickly rebuilding its recruiting empire, was in second place with 30 percent. Michigan, despite a strong push from Jim Harbaugh, was seen as a distant third place.

We'll have to see how the rest of Costello's recruitment plays out. A massive senior season may vault him up recruiting boards even more in the coming months; we've seen plenty of top-flight recruits change their minds when more offers come to pass.

But for now, there is reason to celebrate at Stanford. 

Recruit star ratings and rankings via 247Sports unless otherwise noted. 

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.