Scouting Report: 2025 Wisconsin Football Commit Torin Pettaway

The Wisconsin football program added its ninth overall and the second commitment of the week on Thursday afternoon, as in-state defensive lineman Torin Pettaway announced his commitment to the Badgers. 

The Middleton native took to social media to make it official. 

Feeling blessed with all the love that I have received after my first football season. Wouldn’t be where I am today without God and support from my family and coaches. Proud to say I will be committing to UW Madison to further my academic and football career!@BadgerFootball pic.twitter.com/gH7vAZwNsa

— Torin Pettaway (@torinjp) March 7, 2024

Here’s a look at the newest addition to Wisconsin’s 2025 recruiting class and what stands out. 

Wisconsin Football Commit Torin Pettaway: On the Recruiting Trail

According to the 247Sports rankings, Pettaway is considered the No. 62 defensive lineman in the 2025 class and the No. 6 player in Wisconsin. 

Pettaway picked up an offer from UW during a junior day visit at the beginning of February.

“It’s every kid’s dream to have a chance to play for their hometown, so it’s truly a blessing to possibly have that opportunity to play there in the future,” Pettaway told Badgernotes.com after picking up the offer. 

Wisconsin beat out offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois, Rutgers, USC, and Washington for the Middleton High School standout. 

Credit goes to new defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow for finishing out this recruitment strong after former Badgers coach Greg Scruggs — who was Pettaway’s primary recruiter — left for a job at Michigan. 

Pettaway is the first defensive line prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle to announce their commitment to Wisconsin. 

What Are the Badgers Getting in Torin Pettaway?

Pettaway is a two-sport athlete, participating in both football and basketball at Middleton High School, but last year marked his first season playing football. Looking at his film, it’d be hard to tell that Pettaway is a newcomer to the gridiron. 

In his junior campaign, the three-star defensive lineman logged 25 tackles, 5.0 TFLs, four sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble, according to WisSports. With those marks, Pettaway was named to the All-Conference First-Team.

The 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive lineman thrives on setting the edge and getting into the backfield. His burst, paired with his strength, makes him a tough player for opposing offensive linemen to get their hands up and hold on to. 

Pettaway wreaks havoc behind the line of scrimmage. He’s a player that you would want to pin his ears back and just get in the backfield, and whatever happens will happen. He has a good ability to diagnose run plays and shut them down quickly, but he’s also disruptive by applying lots of pressure to the quarterback when he gets home.

Pettaway is a technically sound player despite his limited experience. He gets his hands up to block passes when stood up at the line, has nice footwork, and does a great job keeping and controlling the edge. 

Maybe not the most athletic defensive lineman out there, but Pettaway has some really nice upside with the tools he already has. More time on the field will only help him as he prepares to make his way to Madison. 

With Pettaway’s commitment, the Wisconsin Badgers football program now holds the No. 8 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle, per the composite rankings.

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