This is slightly unexpected after Michigan seemingly straight up passed on Cal transfer Aaron Cochran (who ended up at Oklahoma State) but Michigan threw its hat in the ring for this gent:
BIG development (literally) - Miami grad transfer Sunny Odogwu (6-8, 317) reflecting upon his two-day official visit to #Michiganhttps://t.co/h7WqAMkhru
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) June 1, 2017
Odogwu is an enormous but injury-plagued dude who's started 14 games over the course of his career.
He was Miami's starting RT last year until injury hewed him down, and his late decision to transfer comes after he was held out of much of spring practice. His injury history is extensive:
Odogwu’s broken lower-left leg was sustained on the first of back-to-back sack plays by FSU in the fourth quarter of the Oct. 8 Florida State at UM game last season. It looked severe when the Miami Herald reviewed replays from the ABC telecast. Defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, a 6-1, 312-pound junior, got past UM center Nick Linder, made the sack, then fell on the back of Odogwu’s lower left leg and ankle —Linder falling with them and Odogwu’s ankle bending unnaturally.
Replacing Odogwu back then was 6-5, 305-pound sophomore Tyree St. Louis, who played a lot last season because Odogwu “has had some knee issues in the past,” Richt said back in October, specifically a torn MCL in his right knee that got surgically repaired in mid-December 2015.
When he's been on the field he's impressed. PFF gave him a very solid 70 in that Miami-FSU game, specifically noting the OL's performance against an FSU front four you may remember decimating the Michigan OL in the bowl game:
Miami’s offensive line kept the Seminoles’ excellent defensive front relatively quiet throughout the course of the game. DeMarcus Walker was largely anonymised by the Hurricanes’ veteran group.
Walker and Odogwu battled to a draw, something that Michigan really could have used last year. It's possible Michigan saw Cochran as just a guy and sees Odogwu as a potential upgrade if he can stay on the field. While that's clearly a major question mark, Michigan has a spare scholarship so the downside is nothing. Might as well take a shot.
Far more certain is Odogwu's ability to give a quote. Beat writers are currently praying to all available deities this comes off.
He refused to answer the first question from reporters, claiming he doesn’t speak English.
He was joking, which is something he does often.
Asked to describe his personality, he began with this:
“Sunny, Sunny Odogwu, the ultimate Sunny Odogwu, which is me. I’m Sunny Odogwu. That’s who I am.
“I hate the sunshine. I love midnight. At night, my energy comes out the most. That’s who I am. I’m Sunny. And I like riding bikes and doing stuff that people don’t normally do.”
Odogwu's next stop is UCLA; Webb asserts that it'll be one of the two schools.