Wisconsin Football National Signing Day 2024: Here’s What to Expect

When Luke Fickell took over the reins of the Wisconsin football program last November, the Badgers recruiting clock was ticking fast. 

With a truncated timeframe, Fickell and his crew faced an uphill battle. Amid many uncertainties, they righted the Badgers’ recruiting ship from a concerningly low eight commits to fifteen for the 2023 class. 

Despite the challenges of retaining the inherited commits and adding a few of their own targets late in the recruiting process, salvaging last year’s class marked a notable victory, albeit with a middling rank of No. 58 in the composite team rankings. 

Fast forward to now, and the Wisconsin Badgers are gearing up to finalize its 2024 class, the first full cycle recruiting cycle under Fickell. The results, at least on paper, have been wildly encouraging. 

The Badgers sit comfortably with 20 verbal commitments as the early signing period approaches. Wisconsin football, which will add another player(s) in the coming days, currently has the No. 24 recruiting class and has primarily been intact since mid-August.

So, What’s in Store for This Wisconsin Football Class?

As mentioned, Wisconsin football has 20 verbal commits as I write this today (subject to change), 10 of which are considered 4-star recruits, per Rivals. 247Sports considers six of the Badgers recruits to be 4-stars.

Among them, running backs Dilin Jones & Darrion Dupree, offensive tackle Kevin Heywood, and tight end Grant Stec, to name a few, are some of the headliners. While stars aren’t everything, this class will produce the second most four-star prospects in a single cycle in school history.

With a focus on strengthening key position groups, the Wisconsin Badgers are looking to fortify their roster with a large index of signees along the offensive line (5) and running back (3), in particular.

Although it shouldn’t be a shock, Wisconsin football extended well outside the self-proclaimed 350-mile radius to configure this class.

The recruiting map shows Wisconsin’s success in casting a wide net. Key wins in the east, notably securing three players from Pennsylvania and three from Maryland, highlight the team’s outreach success, largely thanks to safeties coach Colin Hitschler.

It’s also worth noting that Phil Longo helped attract another high-profile quarterback with Texas roots to Wisconsin in Mabrey Mettauer.

There Are Several Recruitments Still up in the Air for the Badgers

Looking ahead, two recruiting targets remain on the Wisconsin football team’s radar between now and Wednesday afternoon: Ernest Willor Jr. and Rob Booker II.

Willor, a four-star defensive lineman, who took an official visit to Madison in December, stands as a prime target. We’ve been told that the Badgers are in good shape to land his services, making him the highest-rated recruiting in the 2024 cycle.

Booker’s recruitment, on the other hand, has been a rollercoaster ride. He initially committed to the Wisconsin Badgers but later walked back his pledge and joined Chip Kelly and the UCLA Bruins. Sources have indicated another flip of the in-state product is squarely on the table.

Lastly, to our knowledge, the only Wisconsin football verbal commit that carries any amount of concern is three-star defensive back Xavier Lucas. He visited Miami this past weekend, and one insider even predicted that Lucas would flip in favor of the Hurricanes. Regardless of how that one pans out, the Badgers feel good about its other cornerback commits.

There will be a few surprises on National Signing Day. Still, most of the afternoon will be spent celebrating a talented new group of Wisconsin Badgers football players who’ve chosen to join the family.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. For more Wisconsin Badgers Athletics and Big Ten content, follow us on Twitter & Facebook. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher @DillonGraff at Dillon.T.Graff@gmail.com. 

Also, be sure to check out our shop, subscribe to our newsletter, and the BadgerNotes After Dark podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. Because of your support, we have become one of the fastest-growing independent media outlets focused on giving a voice to the fans!