Hammond Russell makes the call for the Mountaineers
Dublin (Ohio) Coffman defensive end Hammond Russell IV had considered making additional campus visits once the recruiting dead period ended, but on Friday the three-star prospect realized he already knew which school he wanted to attend and announced his commitment to West Virginia.
“I had my mind made up, I just had to get my dad on board,” Russell remarked. “My dad said, ‘if that’s what you want to do, then we’re Mountaineers.’
“I made my decision and I’m sticking with it. I love West Virginia.”
Russell accumulated 20 scholarship offers during the course of his recruitment, and continued to add more even after the recruiting visits were shut down. Russell had made two visits to West Virginia’s campus before the shutdown, though, and developed a good feel for the program.
“The reason I chose West Virginia is because of the team and the support,” he said. “Everything about them feels like home. You always want to go to a place that feels like home and they were always honest with me. They told me, ‘we’re not guaranteeing you anything, but we will make you a better player and make you a better man.’”
The West Virginia coaches stressed to Russell that if he did his part, the central Ohio product had the ability to play at the next level after college.
“They are going to use me as a hybrid end,” Russell said. “They’re going to move me around, move me inside, move me outside so I can do all types of things.”
Russell is coming off a junior campaign in which he earned all-district honors for a 10-3 conference champion Coffman team. His commitment is the sixth of the 2021 recruiting cycle for West Virginia.