BBrown: 2015 Names To Watch: Russell Ude
Position: Defensive End
Ht/Wt/40: 6'4" / 250 lbs. / 4.83
Location: Westminster High School – Atlanta, GA
Offers: Boston College, California, Duke, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Iowa, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi State, NC State, Northwestern, Syracuse, TCU, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest, West Virginia
Rating: ★★★ .8836 (247 Composite)
Ranking: #357 NAT / #18 SDE (247 Composite)
FILM
Georgia produces a lot of football talent and while Michigan recruits there with decent aggression they rarely achieve success. AJ Pearson is the only player on the current roster from the peach state and there have been less than 15 in the program's history. That being said, Russell Ude has still managed to get the coaches attention.
On film Ude reminds me a bit of Willie Henry. He has a similiar body type, although a bit lighter, possesses quick feet, and fights off blocks a lot like Henry does. I asked Russell to describe himself as a player.
I play with a big time motor. I'm versatile and I have experience playing every position on the defensive line and even some linebacker. I think I'm quick off the ball and I am good with my hands.
Ude has a solid offer list and while Michigan has shown some attention to him, he's yet to receive an offer from the Wolverines. He explains how his recruitment is progressing.
I'ts going well. I'm just waiting on some offers from some schools in particular before I start narrowing things down so I can make my decision this summer. I'd like to get offers from USC, UCLA, Ohio State, Stanford, Oregon, Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida State, Michigan, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Alabama. If I could get an offer from maybe just two or three of those schools I'd start to narrow it down. Lately Miami, Boston College, UCLA, Stanford, Iowa, Mississippi State, California, and Kentucky have all been on me really hard. Alabama, Ohio State, and Oregon have been showing more interest lately too.
I know, I know, what recruit wouldn't want offers from those schools? The point is that Michigan is among his "dream group" that would allow him to start cutting other schools out of his mix. He said "definitely", and with authority, when I asked him if Michigan would make his initial top group if they offered.
His Michigan knowledge was pretty solid for a Georgia kid deep in SEC/ACC country.
I know Michigan has got great tradition. I know they have a great business school and great academics in general. I know a little bit about Ann Arbor, I have a friend that goes to Michigan so he's told me some things about it. His name is Robbie Greenfield, he went to Michigan on a soccer scholarship but he doesn't play anymore. He has told me a lot of good things like living in Ann Arbor is great and that playing for Michigan is an awesome feeling. He told me about how cold it gets. (laughs) I like room temperature. I'd just make sure I was inside a lot of I was over there. Obviously Michigan plays in the Big Ten and has a huge rivalry with Ohio State too.
Russell's plan for ending his recruitment is not generally how it works for Michigan targets, but those plans can be quite fluid.
I want to commit late this summer at The Opening after taking unofficial visits and then probably still take my five official visits. I don't really know if I'll visit Michigan unofficially or officially, it would depend on if they offer. I would love to get up there for a visit, I just need to speak more with the coaches. The only school I know for a fact that will get an official visit is Boston College. They offered me first and they recruit me the hardest.
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Ude looks solid on film but he's not on an elite level in any area. With Michigan's class potentially being so small in 2015, Ude could find himself on the outside looking in when it comes to an offer.
THE VIBE
0 - Not going to happen
1 - Doesn't look good right now, but we'll see
2 - 50/50, yes or no, wouldn't be surprised
3 - It looks like an offer could come in the future
4 - I fully expect an offer to come
5 - Guarantee this kid is offered
It's clear that the interest is there on both sides but how much on Michigan's? Scholarship numbers and location might be a big enough deterrent to keep the coaches from extending an offer. I will keep in touch with Russell to see if Michigan starts pressing harder but until then I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't offered.
February 27th, 2014 at 10:50 PM ^
Ude seems, from the interview, to be the kind of kid we'd be proud to call a Wolverine. I like the list of interested schools---seeing that it includes several well-respected academic institutions, I'd have to assume he's a good bet to succeed in the classroom. And he obviously has a high level of interest in U of M for both the academics and athletics.
Georgia produces a wealth of prep talent annually---sure would be nice to establish a foothold there for recruiting!
February 27th, 2014 at 11:40 PM ^
February 28th, 2014 at 8:42 AM ^
in respect to defense. My bet would be they've already thought about the "future package" and are imagining him on the other side of the ball. The only real position I can see him plaing in the future on the defense would be at the 1 or 3, and that's assuming he puts on about another 40-50 lbs.