Wisconsin Football News: Badgers Land In-State TE, Jamel Howard Update, More

It’s been a busy couple of days for the Wisconsin football program, ladies and gents, but fear not because BadgerNotes can help get you back up to speed with a roundup of some important news you may have missed.

Wisconsin Football Lands Commitment From 2024 In-State Tight End

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program are riding what seems like a never-ending heater on the recruiting trail – this time securing its first in-state prospect in the 2024 class.

On Wednesday, three-star tight end Rob Booker out of Waunakee, Wisconsin, announced his commitment to the Badgers. 

Home grown! Let’s do this thing Badger nation!!!!🦡👐❤️ #Committed @CoachFick @GinoGuidugli @CoachPhilLongo @RealMikeMurph pic.twitter.com/eb5MnrI43Z

— Rob Booker II (@robertbookerr) January 31, 2023

Per the 247sports Composite, Booker is the No. 477 overall prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, the No. 21 TE in the country, and the No. 5 player in Wisconsin.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound TE chose Wisconsin football over offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech. 

During his junior season, Booker, who Gino Guidugli recruited, caught 27 passes for 380 yards and six touchdowns en route to first-team All-State honors. 

You can watch his HUDL film here.

He joins four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer and four-star tight end Grant Stec as the third committed prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Jamel Howard on Commitment Watch? 

On national signing day, all eyes will be on three-star nose tackle Jamel Howard, UW’s top remaining target in the 2023 recruiting class. 

Howard, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound DL out of Chicago, Illinois, initially committed to the Wisconsin football program back in June. However, he backed off that decision when Paul Chryst was fired during the season, and the immediate future of the Badgers was up in the air. 

He later received offers and took official visits to LSU, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Miami.

Although Michigan appeared to be the favorite after Howard re-opened his recruitment, Wisconsin’s relentless pursuit of the talented defensive lineman may have flipped the script in their favor. 

Steve Wilfong of 247Sports recently cast a crystal ball prediction for Howard to commit to Wisconsin football on national signing day – putting the cherry on top of an otherwise rock-solid recruiting class. 

Keeanu Benton Shining at Senior Bowl 

Now, onto arguably the least surprising news of the day surrounding the Wisconsin football program. 

Former Badgers defensive lineman Keeanu Benton is shining at the senior bowl – which means talent evaluators are learning what UW fans have known for years – that the Janesville native is an absolute animal. 

Nobody has really blocked Wisconsin NT Keeanu Benton yet

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 31, 2023

The 6-foot-4, 315-pound nose tackle had his most productive season at UW in 2022, finishing with 35 tackles, 28 pressures, 10 TFLs (2nd amongst B1G interior linemen), and added a career-high 4.5 sacks en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors. 

Sheeeeeeshhhhh that shi dirty bra 🤮 @keeanu_benton https://t.co/P5kKUYFjOZ

— Nick Herbig (@nickherbig_) January 31, 2023

Benton has a real chance to shoot up draft boards with an impressive showing during the senior bowl + offseason process. No matter where he’s selected, I have little doubt he’ll become a damn good NFL player. 

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