DECISION PREVIEW: Four-star corner Stanley Garner set to make choice
It's the eve of four-star cornerback Stanley Garner's college decision and Cats Illustrated is laying out the stakes.
Garner would be a major boost to the Cats' recruiting class.
WHEN: Garner has said that he will make his college decision on August 16th (that's Wednesday). His former coach, Lorenzo Davis, has told Cats Illustrated that the decision will come down at 8 p.m. ET. Twitter is likely to be the platform Garner uses to announce his choice.
THE FINALISTS: Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee and Clemson are the six schools that Garner narrowed his focus to in late July. One of those six will be the school Garner chooses.
SCOUTING REPORT: Cats Illustrated had the opportunity to scout Garner at a camp at Kentucky over the summer and he matched up well with an impressive group of receivers at the night event he participated in. Because he is a bigger cornerback (6-foot-2 and 3/4) he doesn't have the same kind of twitch that some smaller defensive backs would have, but he's fluid enough, has good hips and can legitimately cover like a cornerback, and with that size that's a very impressive combination of skills.
He's got an elite wing span and once Garner hits a college weight program he will be able to use that size more to his advantage at the line of scrimmage, as opposed to down the field, where it mostly serves him well now. Garner does have to add muscle and become stronger but he's very much in the mold of the kinds of cornerbacks Mark Stoops has had success with at Kentucky and previously. He displayed a nice competitive streak at Kentucky's camp over the summer, broke on the ball aggressively and his long arms allowed him to reach in front of receivers. He covers a lot of ground has more of a margin for error than a lot of defensive backs.
TRENDING UP: Garner's ranking was bumped from three to four-stars and that's a very good sign. His skill development trajectory is moving in the right direction and that's always something you want to see. Back in May, Rivals.com regional analyst Rob Cassidy listed Garner as one of five players in Florida whose stock was rising significantly. His rationale, before bumping Garner to four stars: "Garner made his mark at this spring’s Pylon 7v7 in Miami," Cassidy wrote. "There, he showed he was more than just elite length. Garner’s size jumps off the page, but he’s capable of covering downfield and boasts the necessary versatility to play numerous spots in the secondary."