Wisconsin Football Makes Strong Impression on 2026 Edge-Rusher

Wisconsin football head coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers became the first Power 5 program to offer a scholarship to 2026 edge-rusher Tucker Ashford out of North Richland Hills, Texas.

This past weekend, Ashford, who also holds an offer from UMass, made the trip to Madison for an unofficial visit during Badgers spring practice.

Thank you to the coaches and staff at the @UWBadgers for inviting me out and having me on campus for the spring practice!! #OnWisconsin @RossRoby1 @car20ruiz @CoachBGunn @_CoachMarshall_ @CoachMoH_ @_maximus347 @Coach_Mitch_ @NateLetton Can’t Wait to be Back!! pic.twitter.com/8YdeAAmRfu

— Tucker Ashford (@TuckerAshford12) April 7, 2024

“The trip was amazing,” Ashford told Badgernotes. “Madison is a gorgeous town. I loved the food, the city, plus the campus was gorgeous. I can tell that the city isn’t as much like Dallas or Fort Worth with the traffic, so that’s a plus.”

In addition to the Wisconsin football program, Ashford is hearing from schools like Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Colorado State, and many others. Further, he recently took an unofficial visit to Texas to tour facilities and talk with the coaches.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Ashford checks a lot of athletic boxes for the Wisconsin football coaches. In addition to that size, he also runs a self-reported 4.57 in the 40-yard dash that routinely shows up on film.

During his sophomore season, Ashford appeared in six games, totaling 24 tackles, eight hurries, four sacks, and two tackles for loss, per MaxPreps. On offense, he caught 11 passes for 203 yards and five touchdowns.

Matt Mitchell and the Wisconsin football team’s Director of Player Personnel, Max Stienecker, have been the lead recruiters for Ashford.

“I feel like my relationship with both is awesome,” Ashford said. “I can reach out with any questions I have and have a good conversation with them. Not to mention, I love the way they pour their all into all their recruits as well.”

The Badgers are keen on Ashford’s potential, regardless of his physical development, and see him as a versatile prospect who could contribute as either an outside linebacker or a tight end.

“I love the culture of the Badgers, and the tradition is second to none,” Ashford said. “So I’d love to be a Badger.”

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