2017 ATH Bruce Judson Discusses What's Next After Decommitting from Ohio State

Having the parental approval of both parents is something Cocoa, Florida, native Bruce Judson takes seriously, particularly in recruiting.

When the 4-star athlete tweeted on Sunday that he decommitted from Ohio State, it was under the assumption of many that he parted ways to explore options. Judson told Bleacher Report the reasoning was deeper than what some may think.

Judson, a member of the 2017 class, said his recruitment with Ohio State had been with him and his father. He didn't want to make a final decision without including his mother—who has yet to make the trip to Columbus, Ohio.

"At the end of the day, it's going to be my decision, but the biggest thing I told the coaching staff is that I needed my mom to come up there first," Judson said. "I want her to verify that I'm in good hands. She hasn't been there yet. With [Ohio State] being out of state and far away, I want her to know that she can trust [running backs] Coach [Tony] Alford and [head] Coach [Urban] Meyer and the rest of [the coaches].

"She was happy when I first committed, but as more schools starting coming around, she wanted to be more involved. It's my decision, but I want her to be involved with everything."

Judson remembered when Noah Brown suffered a season-ending broken leg in August and how Brown's mother expressed her trust in Meyer and the Ohio State staff to not only get him ready athletically but academically.

Judson is still interested in playing for the Big Ten powerhouse, but he'd like for his mother to have an opportunity to have a relationship with the Buckeyes coaching staff similar to the one Brown's mother has.

"Before I do anything else, I want her to have that kind of relationship," he said. "I want her to go there first."

With that established, Judson said he plans on visiting Ohio State with his mother before making a final decision. That's good news for Ohio State.

The bad news is the Buckeyes will have to fight off several other Power Five programs looking to land the 5'10", 190-pound athlete, who has 13 reported offers thus far. Hours after decommitting from Ohio State, Judson earned an offer from Alabama.

Other schools to keep an eye on include LSU, South Carolina, Kentucky, Oregon, Georgia and in-state programs Florida and Florida State.

"Things have been up. I know some [schools] were waiting for me to decommit," Judson said of the outside interest. "I felt like it was time, but I haven't let anyone know where I stand. I just wanted to have a chance to sit with my family and talk to them about it."

Per MaxPreps.com, Judson has shown his worth as Cocoa's dual-threat quarterback. He's rushed for 426 yards and four touchdowns and averages better than nine yards per run. He hasn't thrown the ball much but has three touchdown passes.

Judson could see time at the next level as a slot receiver, running back or even in the secondary. He's a speedy athlete who's been clocked in the 40-yard dash at 4.41 seconds, and with his elusiveness, he can be an X-factor of sorts for a lucky college.

And, Judson said, that college still could be Ohio State for a variety of reasons.

"I have a good relationship with the coaching staff, but the one big thing I liked is the academics," said Judson, who has interest in obtaining a degree in either sports science or sports medicine. "That's important to me, and Ohio State has always had good academics."

Courtesy: 247Sports

Judson said his high school team's success currently is his focus, but he's also aware that his junior year is nearly halfway over.

Judson has an idea of the perfect school—assuming Ohio State isn't it.

"Wherever I go, I just don't want anyone to be fake with me," he said. "I want to know what grades players are making and what they're doing on and off the field. You have school, football and workouts. I want to see how everybody's handling all that.

"Eleventh grade is almost over. I've got to focus on school and what coaches are really going to be there for me."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles.