4-star DL Benedict Umeh commits to Stanford: 'I remembered that it was my dream school'

After taking an official to Penn State on June 16, Avon Old Farms (Conn.) four-star defensive lineman Benedict Umeh really though that Happy Valley would be where he’d eventually call home. However, a final visit to Stanford was lined up the next weekend.

That return trip back to campus proved to be the difference as Umeh decided to commit to the Cardinal over Penn State, Duke and Wisconsin.

“Coming back from Penn State, I really felt like I was going to go there,” Umeh told On3. “My mentality was that unless Stanford blows my mind, this is probably where I’m going to go. Going to Stanford, I remembered that it was my dream school and where I’ve wanted to go forever.

“My family loves it, I have a bunch of family in Cali and my mom was tearing up the whole time because she loved it. It was an easy decision to make.”

Finding the right football program was a key factor in Umeh’s decision, but academics arguably played the biggest role in his recruitment.

Umeh has been interested in computer science since the fifth grade. He wants to excel as a software developer once his football career comes to end.

He noted that each of the other schools he had interest in were no slouches when it came to academics. Stanford being Stanford and being in Silicon Valley is what ultimately sealed his decision.

“I come from a very academic family as my dad’s a lawyer and my mom’s a doctor,” said Umeh, the No. 29 player in the 2024 On300. “They want to see my succeed academically which is what I’ve been trying to do my whole life. There’s no better place to do that than Stanford.”

Umeh also has high hopes for the football program under Troy Taylor

Stanford’s academics may have been what ultimately sold Umeh on the Cardinal but he also loves the direction the football program is headed under first-year head coach Troy Taylor.

With his pledge, Umeh is the 28th commitment in the Cardinal’s 2024 recruiting class. He is the sixth four-star commitment as well. That helped the group take another step forward into the top-20 nationally.

“The program right now fits what I want,” Umeh said. “I’m going to get a chance to get developed to the highest level and a chance to make an impact as soon as I get there and win games. With a new coaching staff and the way things are going, I believe that once I get there we’ll be on an upward trend.”

Taylor has yet to coach a game but with talks Umeh’s had with him, he said he already knows just how much Taylor hates to lose. He wants to be one of the reasons why Stanford gets back to the top and competing for Pac-12 titles.

It also helps Umeh that he’s already built a strong bond with Stanford defensive coordinator Bobby April and defensive line coach Ross Kolodziej. 

“I feel really comfortable working under them and in their scheme,” said Umeh. “We’ve sat down for hours at a time talking about football and this or that. I’m definitely going to get along with them.”