Kentucky likes Rudolph for H-Back position
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Logan Rudolph doesn't look like a typical tight end in the SEC but that's exactly what Kentucky's coaches like about him.
At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds the Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern prospect knows that he's a couple of inches shorter than most tight ends. That doesn't bother him, perhaps because he's also emerging as a prized recruit on the defensive side of the ball. Duke has offered him for defense, that's what he's mostly playing this year for Northwestern, and there's a good chance more offers will be coming for his play at defensive end.
But Kentucky likes Logan for offense. He attended a summer camp in Lexington and that's when the Wildcats offered.
"Right after the camp," Rudolph told Cats Illustrated. "It was an afternoon camp. I went up there, toured the campus and did the camp in the afternoon. Then Coach (Vince) Marrow offered me after the camp. He's their tight ends coach."
Marrow saw something in Rudolph at that camp. Not a conventional tight end. Kentucky doesn't use their tight ends in a totally conventional way, although sometimes you'll see C.J. Conrad in line.
"He said that they have kind of a perfect tight end offense for me," Rudolph told Cats Illustrated. "They carry kind of a hybrid H-Back, fullback and tight end. Like a 6'2, 240-type of guy who can line up in the backfield and fill gaps and also go out for passes and catch balls. So they obviously saw that in me and just said, 'We like your size and the way you catch the ball. You could definitely play in our offense, so we're gonna offer you a scholarship.
"I was obviously very pumped and very thankful," Rudolph said. "It was awesome. I've been watching their offense a good bit."
He watched the offense in person in September. Rudolph unofficially visited Kentucky for a second time when the Wildcats hosted Florida in Commonwealth Stadium.
"It was definitely an awesome experience," Rudolph said. "I went up with a friend of mine and his dad, who actually went to Kentucky. They toured me around downtown Lexington before the game. We went out to eat and then we went to the football facility and got the tour. We went to the new recruiting area for the stadium. That was awesome. We ate there and then we kinda went down on the field before the game."
That's when something really interesting happened.
"We looked in the tunnel and were like, 'Who is that? Is that Coach Cal (John Calipari)?" Rudolph recalls wondering. "So we kinda walked up to him and were like, 'Hey, could we have a picture real quick?' It was awesome to see him but also awesome to get that pregame atmosphere. It was definitely a good time. It would have been better if they won."
Duke is the other Power Five school that has offered Rudolph thus far.
"They offered me at defensive end 'slash' linebacker," Rudolph explained. "So that was my first defensive offer. I've actually been getting more interest on defense because that's a more fitting position for me. I might be considered a little undersized at tight end because I'm right around 6'2 or 6'3, but that's not undersized for a linebacker or in some cases a defensive end.
"I went up to Duke I think my eighth grade year," he said. "When my brother was getting recruited. That was the last time I'd been up there. I probably will make a visit. I think I'll go up for a game if I can get a free weekend."
Oklahoma State was supposed to offer Rudolph over the weekend but the defensive coach for the Cowboys that's recruiting him hasn't spoken with him yet.
"After this season I could definitely see myself getting more defensive offers," Rudolph said. "Since that's mainly what I've been playing. I'm wide open right now, though. I don't have any idea of where I want to go, to be honest. I'm just going to play this junior year out and maybe make a decision late summer -- this coming summer. I want to weigh my options out. I don't have to rush like my brother did. He kinda had to rush. Quarterbacks have to make a decision fairly soon to get in there. But I'm wide open right now."
His brother, Mason Rudolph, is the starting quarterback at Oklahoma State and was recently named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of the Week.
