Erik Olsen breaks down top six as he nears a decision
Colorado has turned into a tight end factory.
For the 2021 recruiting class, at least.
The state has four high school tight ends that have received double-digit power five offers: Terrance Ferguson, Sam Hart, Gunnar Helm and Erik Olsen.
Olsen has blown up on the recruiting scene over the last six months and he recently released his top six schools and is getting closer and closer to a decision.
He broke down those six schools for BuffsCountry.
Colorado: "Just my home state school and really close to home which is nice. I can go home to my family."
Stanford: "A great education and great tight end room and they put tight ends in the NFL."
UCLA: "Awesome campus and in a great location. I think I would have a blast if I went there."
Washington: "Washington is just a great all-around school for education, great campus, a great football community and tradition."
Nebraska: "It also has a great tradition with their football and a lot of my family lives out in Nebraska, too."
Notre Dame: "Tight end university. One of the most winningest programs in college football history."
The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder previously released a top ten schools list in April. He eliminated five of those and added Notre Dame. The Irish offered last week but their tight end reputation speaks for itself and Olsen has quickly built a relationship with tight ends coach John McNulty.
Many of these schools already have tight ends committed. And it is one of the positions where the depth chart can play a key role in recruiting. It's not something Olsen is worried about but is keeping an eye on.
"As long as he and I have different skill sets, and we both can work together if we're in 12 personnel or any of that stuff," Olsen said. "As long as you have different skill sets so that we can both be on the field in different scenarios or at the same time. That's something I definitely look into."
As far as the Buffs go, they do not have a tight end committed but have been recruiting Olsen heavily and tight ends coach Taylor Embree has been able to establish a solid relationship.
"He’s a really cool guy, really easy to talk to. We’re always straight up with each other… we just talk like normal people," Olsen said of Embree. "I don’t feel like I have to say anything different or special. And he loves football. He and I watch all the time. I’d say like every other week or once a week, somewhere in that time frame. It’s pretty good, I’ve gotten to know him well and he has a lot of plans for the tight end at Colorado."
Olsen said he likes what he's heard from the CU coaching staff about utilizing the tight end more often and he's been watching the film of Brady Russell.
"I know they have Brady there and he’s been playing really well. And he'll be a senior if I were to go there when I am a freshman," Olsen said. "So he's just a real physical blocker guy, not super good in the passing game and they're looking for someone that's good in both, that can be blocking one play and then running a deep route the next play without having to get off the field."
The big tight end doesn't have much of a timeline for his decision and will do it when the timing is right.