During my last two season I have redshirted players with 18 and 21 WE. I didn't really expect either to accept the redshirt but they did. Does anyone know if a players WE has any affect on if they take a redshirt or not?

Not from what I've seen and read.

I've never had a player refuse a redshirt, and have never used the inform during recruiting, but I typically wind up redshirting guys where I have depth anyway.  If they see they're clearly the third option they tend to take the redshirt.  

So far as I know, WE has zero to do with accepting the redshirt.

I've never seen any correlation but have not looked across a big enough sample to say definitively

+1

The one with 18 WE was a sophomore and second best PF. The one with 21 WE is a freshman and the only C on my team. This is why I didn't think they would accept.

I think overall player quality factors in, even if they're not blocked at the position.  I don't know about Swigert, but I think Urias accepted just because he's terrible and he knows it.  If you see someone you like next recruiting, it'd be worth your while to just cut that guy.  A big with a 25 ATH, 28 DEF, and a 21 WE is just never going to be worth anything at D3, let alone D2.

ETA: The #193 C.  Wow.

no player can 'refuse' a redshirt. they may not like it, and will probably drop WE - but it's just safer to send 3-4 home visits the same time you tell them you want to redshirt them. they'll say 'you crazy' but will accept w/ no drop in WE after reporting to campus.
but never tell them you're gonna redshirt them w/ out the home visits - you might have to start recruiting them all over again.

I didn't tell them during recruiting they would be redshirted. I also meant to say they accepted the redshirt without complaint, and without a WE drop. Urias is high in ath and def, and he will be a decent offense player. It will be interesting to see how much he improves in those categories.

If you POUND minutes into Conditioning, and start him for at least 3 years, you could get him close to 60 in ATH.  Keep in mind, though, that that means you're starting a big man for 2 years or so with an ATH in the 30s and 40s.

David Howard, on my BSU team, came in with a WE of 19 and an ATH of 41.  He's had at least 20 minutes in Conditioning the entire time.  He's at 30 (!) now.  He got a redshirt year, then played 15.6 mpg as a freshman.  He's started every game since.  10 games into his senior year he's up to a 67 ath.  So I built him up 26 points so far (he's still got 8-9 to go, I reckon).  I'll be lucky to get another 2-3 out of him.  This is what a ~20 WE gets you in ATH if you really work a guy.

So Urias will have a passable ATH for a big man in his senior year only - and only if you play him a lot when it's not so passable.  Good luck.