Breaking Down Jake Guarnera’s Commitment to Michigan Football

Five offensive line commitments now for Sherrone Moore, as the Wolverines landed their center for this year’s class with today’s commitment.

There may not be a hotter recruiter in the nation right now than Michigan football offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, as the Wolverines have picked up yet another big commitment on their offensive line.

Three-star center Jake Guarnera pledged to Michigan football today, becoming the fifth offensive line commitment in the class of 2024, which remains the top-ranked class in the nation to this point according to the 247 Sports composite rankings.

The Wolverines beat out a handful of additional suitors, such as Penn State, Florida, Rutgers, and North Carolina State. The 6-4, 290-pound center also held offers from Miami (FL), Florida State, Ole Miss, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Let’s take a look at what Michigan football is getting in the Ponte Vedra Beach resident.

Scouting Report on Jake Guarnera

Here are my thoughts on Guarnera:

"Plays left tackle for his high school, but like Altuner, his build is an interior guy all the way. He’s quick off the snap and very explosive when he transitions into a drive block. He’s a bit slow with his hands (about half his clips the defender is into him first) but when he does bring them into the block he really pops defenders off of him with the strength of his punch. Does a nice job unrolling his hips and running his legs through the block. Base is solid and consistent as well. Pass protection is where you can see why he’s a guard. He doesn’t have the length to play tackle at a high caliber, and instead will need to move inside to counter that. Could be a very good center or guard, however. Athleticism looks good on film, and his footwork in protection and in run blocking is steady and reliable. Great on-field demeanor."

As for a comparison, there was not a great Michigan-centric one that came to mind, so I ultimately compared him to former Ball State interior lineman Danny Pinter, who ended up being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and has since made a handful of starts for them as a reserve center and guard.

Here’s what 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins had to say on Guarnera from another perspective:

"“A promising offensive line prospect that blends technique, feel, and power all together. Has spent much of his prep career protecting the corner, but body type and skill set suggests that he’ll probably play his best football on the inside. Measured roughly 6-foot-4, 285 pounds spring before senior season. Doesn’t carry much bad weight, which in turn makes him an effective puller as he can quickly get lateral and move people out of the way. Consistently wins with heavy hands and a robust upper half. Also will finish off assignments by rolling his hips. However, will need to keep improving in pass pro if he’s going to reach his full potential. Should be viewed as a multi-year starter in the middle that might be able to hold things down on the outside in a pinch. Will likely need some time to get adjusted to the college game, but has the makeup of a trench player that will find success in a variety of different run-blocking schemes.”"

Impact on Remaining OL Recruiting

At this point, Michigan football now has five commitments along the offensive line and is almost guaranteed to take one more, maybe even two if it is the right combination. Michigan has four-star tackle Andrew Sprague (MO), three-star tackle Ben Roebuck (OH), four-star lineman Blake Frazier (TX), and four-star guard Luke Hamilton (OH) also in this class, with Sprague and Roebuck set to play tackle, Hamilton inside, and Frazier able to play multiple spots. Guarnera likely takes a spot as a center in this class, though he also could play guard if needed.

Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines remain in hot pursuit of several top targets such as five-star tackle Brandon Baker (CA), four-star tackle Michael Uini (TX), and four-star tackle Max Anderson (TX). There is also the chance they try to go “big game hunting” for a seventh lineman if they can add a genuine superstar recruit like Baker or perhaps top-50 recruit Jordan Seaton, a guard from Washington D.C.

Overall, this is an elite offensive line class already for Michigan, and it is almost guaranteed to get even better with the Wolverines looking for at least one more prospect to join the class. Right now, Max Anderson seems like the most likely one to pledge, but the Wolverines have stiff competition from Tennessee and Georgia amongst others.