4-star OT Michael Uini’s list of contenders is getting shorter
Copperas Cove (Texas) four-star offensive tackle Michael Uini announced his top 10 schools on Jan. 5. Six programs have since taken the lead for the 6-foot-7, 275-pound recruit.
They are Clemson, Florida, Michigan, Alabama, Georgia and Texas. Uini has already scheduled official visits to the Tigers (June 2), Gators (June 9), Wolverines (June 16), Crimson Tide (June 20) and the Bulldogs (June 23). He is trying to make an official to the Longhorns work, but has already visited the in-state school between five and six times.
“Right now, I don’t have a number order like one through three,” Uini told On3. “I’m going in there with an open mind. Me, my mom and my family are looking at whichever visit we feel will benefit me in the near future. We’ll know that feeling once it comes.”
Uini has visited Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Michigan once. Meanwhile, he has never been to Florida.
Coaches are in contact every couple of days, according to the No. 26 player in the Lone Star State. Right now, he feels like the Wolverines are recruiting him the hardest.
“Coach Moore, he’s that example… where he goes out of his way, hits me up out of nowhere like, ‘Hey Mike, what’s up?’” said Uini, the No. 131 overall prospect and No. 9 offensive tackle in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. “It’s phone calls. When we talk, we chop it up.”
Right now, Uini is planning to make a commitment around his mother’s birthday on Sept. 9. The four-star has an idea of how he will find his college destination.
“I don’t think it will be confusing,” Uini said. “I just think it will be, I wouldn’t say difficult, but it will take a lot of thinking and talking with my family and my coach to figure out where I want to go.”
Uini discusses six schools of interest
Alabama: “Bama, it’s just different the way they work out and the way coach (Nick) Saban moves around a lot of the players and how tough he is. They’re an all-time college football team and I can see it.”
Clemson: “My interest in Clemson initially started with my connection to coach (Garrett) Riley at TCU. When he got to Clemson, I was one of the first people who came up from coach Riley. He told coach (Thomas) Austin about me. When me and my dad went out there back in March, the coaches really impressed us, just the way they handled themselves. The things they do for the community, it all just stood out to me.”
Florida: “Before Florida, coach (Rob) Sale and coach (Billy) Napier were at (Louisiana) and they were definitely interested me. They came out to see a game. They’ve been recruiting me hard since before I had offers. Coach (Darnell) Stapleton and another coach came in recently and sat me down and talked to me about a couple things that they’re excited about showing me and my family, like the OV weekend. They’ve been texting me every now and letting me know that they really need me.”
Georgia: “I like the way coach (Stacy) Searels develops players and the way he’s able to put them in the league. They have one of the best rosters in the nation, not just on the o-line, but as a team, as a whole. Being able to make it to the national championship two times in a row is impressive.”
Michigan: (Coach Moore) is a big part of the reason for my interest in Michigan. When me and my dad went out there, Michigan impressed us in so many ways as far as their education and how they handle their student-athletes. Their strength and conditioning coach sat us down and gave a whole presentation about how they do things and work hard. That just really stuck out to me.”
Texas: “Their business school is amazing and business is what I want to major in. That, of course, sticks out to me. Their football program, just what coach (Steve Sarkisian) and coach (Kyle) Flood and what the rest of the coaches and staff are doing… they’re trying to bring back Texas. It’s an eye-opener. Austin the city and everything around the University of Texas is all amazing.”
The post 4-star OT Michael Uini’s list of contenders is getting shorter appeared first on On3.
