Final Takeaways from Wisconsin Football’s 2023 Recruiting Class

Wisconsin football has completed its 2023 recruiting class. With multiple four-star recruits and a long list of three-stars, UW has brought in some high-level talent.

After Luke Fickell took over as head coach, the Badgers added six recruits for the 2023 class. According to the 247Sports recruiting rankings, Wisconsin finished with the 37th-ranked recruiting class in the nation.

As the focus shifts to the 2024 class, here are some final takeaways from Wisconsin football’s 2023 recruiting class.

Secondary depth was a point of emphasis for Wisconsin football

Wisconsin added five defensive backs in the 2023 recruiting class. Due to the departures of Cedrick Dort II and Jay Shaw for the NFL Draft, the Badgers have retooled their secondary with some intriguing prospects.

Braedyn Moore and Amare Snowden, both four-star prospects, are just some notable additions to UW’s secondary. Defensive backs Jace Arnold, AJ Tisdell, Jonas Duclona, and Justin Taylor are heading to Madison under the new class, giving the Badgers a DB room full of young talent.

UW will have a revamped secondary as we head into 2023. Due to the youth in the room, these young prospects could make an immediate impact.

Wisconsin football added players with high upside on offense

While the recruiting class was loaded with defensive additions, Wisconsin added some offensive skill position players with high upside. Quarterback Cole LaCrue, tight end Tucker Ashcraft, wide receiver Trech Kekahuna, and running back Nate White are the four offensive additions in the class. Each player brings high upside to Wisconsin’s offense.

Due to the influx of quarterbacks, LaCrue may be buried in the depth chart. However, his upside as a dual-threat QB makes him an intriguing addition. Fickell has stated that he looks for quarterbacks who can sling it and use their legs, and LaCrue fits that mold to a tee.

Trech Kekahuna is a potential building block for the future of the receiver room. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound receiver has remarkable athleticism that makes him an excellent option for a slot receiver. He could also make his mark on special teams with his elusiveness and speed.

Nate White, hailing from Milwaukee as the lone in-state recruit, will look to carry the tradition of great Wisconsin running backs. White has elusiveness that makes him a threat in the open field. He’s not a power runner, but his speed and athleticism make him an excellent future option.

Tucker Ashcraft joins UW with arguably the most upside. He’s considered a late bloomer, but he’s come into his own as a blocker. Ashcraft’s pass-catching ability needs to develop, but his fundamentals make his upside intriguing for the Badgers.

Fickell is an incredible salesman

Luke Fickell is putting together something special in Madison, and players are taking notice of that.

After the coaching shakeups in the offseason, questions loomed on what would be next for Wisconsin. UW commits recruited by the former staff re-opened their recruitment to search for a new home. However, Fickell was able to pull some exciting prospects back.

The biggest surprise of the recruiting cycle was wide receiver Trech Kekahuna flipping to Wisconsin from Arizona on early signing day. But Fickell kept going, as he was able to bring back defensive lineman Jamel Howard just a few days ago.

The new staff was able to lure in some former UW commits to put the cherry on top of a solid recruiting class. There is something special brewing in Madison under the new regime.

Wisconsin football will now shift its attention to 2024. If this current class indicates what’s to come, the Badgers are in good hands under Luke Fickell.

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