Class of 2021 forward lands Terp offer following "virtual evaluation"
On the same day the NCAA announced that recruiting dead period would continue through the end of August, Maryland offered a recruit who found a way to be seen by college coaches recently in spite of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Terps’ offer to Alex Fudge (Robert E. Lee HS/Jacksonville, Fla.) Tuesday came after the Jacksonville native participated in a virtual player evaluation series hosted by the Team Parsons AAU program in Florida earlier this month. The landmark event featured 50 rising juniors and seniors in the area and included workouts and showcase games. College coaches weren’t allowed to attend, but hundreds watched via a live stream. The virtual viewing was enough for Maryland to extend an offer to Fudge, who has been on their radar since early February.
Fudge, a versatile 6-foot-7 forward who’s grown more than a foot since beginning high school, has no shortage of suitors. The consensus four-star recruit holds more than 20 offers but recently told 247Sports that Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Florida, Texas and LSU are prioritizing him the most. He has also been in contact with Stanford, which is notable because he told HoopSeen.com that “academics will matter a lot” in his recruitment.
It had been more than a month since Maryland offered a rising high school senior before Tuesday. With commitments in the 2021 class from Baltimore natives Julian Reese and Ike Cornish, much of the focus of the last several weeks has been on adding to next year’s roster and getting a head start on the 2022 and 2023 classes. But with the dead period extended through August, the Terps are going to have to get creative when it comes to evaluating prospects and this is an example of that.
