The Wolverine

June-July 2023

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499505

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 54 of 67

JUNE/JULY 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 55 ❱ COMMIT PROFILE BY ZACH LIBBY M ichigan found its center target for the 2024 class when three-star Ponte Vedra (Fla.) High prospect Jake Guarnera verbally committed April 28. Guarnera is the fifth offensive line- man in the 2024 class to join the Wolver- ines following back-to-back Joe Moore Award winning seasons for its offensive front. He made three total visits to Ann Arbor beginning in July of last year and most recently for a multi-day trip in March. He also has his official visit to U-M scheduled for June 17. "It takes a lot of weight off my shoul- ders now that I'm definitely locked in with Michigan," Guarnera said. "It feels much better than before because there was stress when choosing a school. But now I feel really comfortable choosing Michigan. "I just needed to think about what was important to me. I want to be competing for national titles and be developed into the best player I can be. Also, just the bond with the rest of the 2024 commits so far is one I didn't have with any other school." Michigan skyrocketed on Guarnera's leaderboard this spring after his latest opportunity to talk face to face with of- fensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sherrone Moore in March. Admitting that his first two trips to campus didn't leave him with a strong enough impression of Michigan as some other schools on his offer sheet, Guarnera said his initial feelings about the program were completely turned around after that March visit. A few weeks before his commitment, Guarnera dropped a top-five list that also featured Florida, Penn State, North Carolina State and Rutgers, where his father played in the early 1990s. He was able to make his school decision after re- ceiving the message from Moore that he was indeed a priority recruit for Michi- gan's offensive line. "I should fit in well with the team," Guarnera said. "Michigan has a great vi- sion for me in terms of coming in and playing sooner rather than later. I just think that I will develop well under Coach Moore. The fact that Michigan won back-to-back Joe Moore Awards and Olu Oluwatimi won the Rimington Trophy is something that I'm also trying to achieve." Guarnera's close friendships with the other four offensive line commits — in- terior lineman Luke Hamilton, and tack- les Ben Roebuck, Andrew Sprague and Blake Frazier — helped spur Guarnera's interest, too. It was Hamilton, out of Avon, Ohio, who made return visit to Michigan two months ago to be with Guarnera while he and his family were touring the facilities. Frequent communication with all four right now, Guarnera said, will show on the field as their trust has already been built. "We say all the time that we have such a good relationship now. Imagine how it's going to be when we're living in the same apartment together," Guarnera said. "That's going to be exciting. Me, Luke, Ben, Andrew and Blake are really close, and we talk every day. We're going to have a really special class." Guarnera has started at left tackle in each of the past two seasons for Ponte Vedra High but is projected at center for college due to his 6-foot-4, 283-pound frame. The On3 Industry Ranking lists him as the No. 60 junior in the state of Florida, and the No. 29 interior offensive lineman and No. 413 overall prospect nationally. ❏ Sunshine State Lineman Jake Guarnera Heads North To U-M Guarnera — a 6-foot-4, 283-pound interior offensive lineman from Ponte Vedra (Fla.) High — chose Michigan over Florida, North Carolina State, Penn State and Rutgers. PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM/COURTESY J.GUARNERA _ PLAYER EVALUATION STRENGTHS: His movement skills … I think he has very good agility and plays with good leverage. Jake has good functional strength, and you can see that with his shot put number. He's one who's a pure center, but he proj- ects pretty well at the position because of his movement skills and play strength. He's a well-rounded prospect without a ton of weak- nesses. He has a high floor. AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: He's not the big- gest, so what will his size and frame top out at? He's probably a center only at this point, but he could possibly play guard. That's the biggest one. Just the ultimate size factor. PLAYER COMPARISON: If I would pick a Mich- igan guy, I think Jake is comparable to Mason Cole a little bit. Mason was very highly touted and had more positional versatility than Jake. But in terms of the movement skills and the technicality, Jake reminds me of Mason. — On3 director of scouting and rankings Charles Power

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Wolverine - June-July 2023