Offensive lineman commits to Purdue shortly after visit
More: Purdue's 2017 commitments
Purdue's 11th commitment for the 2017 class is a big one, as Michigan offensive tackle Robert Hudson chose the Boilermakers over more than a dozen other offers.
The Rivals.com three-star prospect unofficially visited West Lafayette late last week, then said on Sunday night he'd make a decision shortly, with his top three being Purdue, Iowa State and Syracuse.
"It was just the family aspect I felt they had," Hudson said of his decision. "That, and the distance from home and the size of the stage I'd be playing on."
In addition to the dozen-plus written scholarship offers Hudson has received, schools such as LSU, Michigan, Missouri and especially Michigan State remained interested.
But Hudson decided recently on the commitment timeframe he wound up adhering to.
"I just want to be able to concentrate on my senior season," he said.
The 6-foot-8, 320-plus-pounder has not yet played offense at the high school level, but has been projected by most of the schools recruiting him to play offensive tackle - as opposed to defensive tackle - at the next level.
He will play offensive tackle for Walled Lake Western High School this season for the first time to any notable extent.
"It's coming pretty naturally," Hudson said. "I played it a little bit (in practice) last year because I knew I'd have to play it this year."
As an offensive line prospect, Hudson has been viewed by recruiters as being particularly agile for his size.
"I think my feet are the best thing about me," Hudson said.
Especially for his size.
Hudson said he currently weighs around 325 pounds, but will target around 318 as his playing weight this season.
His body's been the subject of an ongoing process. Hudson said he weighed more than 400 pounds as a high school freshman, but began transforming himself after losing his father to a heart attack.
"I didn't want to same thing to happen to me one day," Hudson said.
Hudson joins Florida's Jylton Tusha as Purdue's two early offensive line commitments.
Hudson was clearly an important target for the Boilermaker staff.
"They treated me like I was a priority," Hudson said, "and they told me that face to face."
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