Rudolph picks up offer

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Northwestern High's Logan Rudolph was on his way to school on Tuesday morning when he received a pair of messages that ended up leading to some unexpected news.

"I got a DM from Coach Elliott giving me his number and telling me to give him a call. My coach texted me the same thing, told me to call him. I called him on my way to school and talked to him for a little bit. He said they watched my tape as a staff and really liked what they saw and are really excited about me and that I'm an in-state kid. He said he really wanted to get me to Columbia for a game and finally said they wanted to offer me as scholarship."

The Gamecocks joined Duke, ECU, Michigan, North Carolina, NC State, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Southern Cal, and Vanderbilt in extending an offer to the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder.

"I was pumped. I was ecstatic," Rudolph told GamecockCentral.com. "It's a great school and they're going to be on the rise when they get a new coaching staff. I'm definitely looking forward to what they're going to do in the future."

The new staff talk presents an interesting scenario for the in-state product in that the current USC staff has presented his offer. What's his take on the unique situation?

"I think they usually honor the scholarships offered to the players," he said. "I definitely have an open mind to it and want to see who they're going to bring in. I definitely want to meet the new coaching staff and see what this program will do in the coming months. It will be interesting to see who they get and where they're going to go."

Rudolph is capable of playing on both sides of the ball, whether it's catching passes at tight end or lining up at defensive end. It's his first season playing on the defensive side of the ball.

"Coach Elliott, he was talking a good bit about tight end," Rudolph said. "He said the majority of my tape is at defensive end. He said I'm a versatile player and that I could play either or. If one doesn't work out, I could play the other just depending on when I get there."

Rudolph hopes to travel out west to see Southern Cal this offseason and may be inside Williams-Brice for a game in Columbia this season. His brother, Mason Rudolph, is a quarterback at Oklahoma State but that is not expected to be a significant factor in the younger Rudolph's decision.

"My brother likes Oklahoma State and it was a good fit for him but I'm not letting that be my decision maker in the least. I'll definitely weigh my options and find the best fit for me," he explained.

With a ways to go in the process and several suitors already, Rudolph will take his time with recruiting.

"I don't really have any favorites right now at this point. I've got a really open mind to everyone and anyone. I definitely want to weigh out my options and play out my junior season and make a decision in the summer or early into my senior year. I want to take some time in the offseason to learn more about these schools and get a feel for what they want me to do."

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