FB Recruiting

Wisconsin Football Recruiting: 2023 Class In Review

Published

2 months ago

February 6, 2023

With National Signing Day in the rearview mirror, Wisconsin football has put a bow on its 2023 class. With 15 high school recruits and 13 transfers, head coach Luke Fickell capped his first 70 days on the job with a Signing Day surprise. Throughout those 70 days, however, is where Fickell created the core of this class. Between Fickell’s introductory press conference and National Signing Day, it became clear that this is no longer your father’s Wisconsin football.

Wisconsin Football’s Recruiting Identity Is Changed Forever

Recruiting football players to Madison has an entirely different ethos now. Putting the quality of prospects aside, this new coaching staff has put recruiting front and center. Landing blue-chip athletes felt like an enormous challenge for the Badgers in years past. In this class, Wisconsin signed three four-star prospects out of high school and four former four-stars out of the transfer portal. To top it all off, Fickell and Longo brought Mabrey Mettauer, another four-star quarterback, into the 2024 class.

These results do not come without putting in the work. Each commitment now comes with a carefully timed announcement. On visits, the staff woos recruits with exciting entrances to the football facilities, hype videos, and impressively edited graphics. Recruiting at Wisconsin is choreographed now in a way that was lacking in years past. While some aspects may seem flashy, those bells and whistles attract recruits. It may be a departure from the ho-hum nature Badger fans are used to; it is hard to question the results to date.

Wisconsin Football Can Go Toe-to-Toe With Anyone

Wisconsin football sought high-level talent in this class. Fickell wanted more than just taking what might have been left over. Regardless of star ratings, the level of athletes Wisconsin has recruited under Fickell is evident based on what other schools the Badgers battled on the recruiting trail.

Amare Snowden is a cornerback from Michigan. Snowden originally committed to Cincinnati over schools, including Notre Dame, Penn State, and Wisconsin. After decommitting from Cincy, Snowden received an offer to play for Deion Sanders at Colorado before he chose to follow Fickell to UW.
Jamel Howard is a defensive tackle from Illinois. After initially committing to Wisconsin, he re-opened his recruitment, and experts widely expected him to commit to Michigan. Howard visited Michigan, LSU, Ole Miss, and Miami, but Fickell brought him back into the class on National Signing Day.

CJ Williams is a wide receiver transferring from USC. In high school, Williams had offers from any school you could think of, including Auburn, Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame.
Tanner Mordecai will presumably be Wisconsin’s starting quarterback next season. A graduate transfer, he recorded 72 total passing touchdowns in his two seasons at SMU. Mordecai would have been a hot commodity on the open market, but he immediately committed to Wisconsin upon entering the transfer portal.

Wisconsin Football Roster: What Changes Are Still To Come?

With Wisconsin football’s incoming recruiting class, the Badgers project to have 89 players on scholarship. Teams have a scholarship cap of 85, so at least four players will be departing. The next window for players to enter the transfer portal is May 1st – 15th. After spring practice, who may choose to exit the program will be more apparent.

Fickell, impressively, kept most of the Badgers’ roster together. Only nine players transferred out following his hiring. For so many players to at least give the new regime, a chance during spring practice speaks to his ability to sell his vision for the Wisconsin football program.

There have been plenty of exciting additions to the roster for Wisconsin football. However, stay tuned to BadgerNotes over the next few months because there will be more roster turnover this spring.

Published

1 week ago

March 18, 2023

Kedrick Stumbris

Wisconsin football tight end Clay Cundiff

Wisconsin football extended a scholarship offer to Da’Saahn Brame on Friday. The class of 2025 tight end prospect’s recruitment has heated up in the last couple of months. Although he has not yet received a rating from any of the major recruiting outlets, Brame’s athletic build suggests he will be a talented player at the next level.

Blessed to have received an offer from the University Of Wisconsin!!@NateLetton @DerbyRecruit #AGTG #GoBadgers pic.twitter.com/OJsaFPFCFv

— DaSaahn Brame (@dasaahn) March 17, 2023

Da’Saahn Brame Recruiting Profile

Brame, just a sophomore in high school, measures-in at six-foot-six-inches and 225 pounds. His long build gives him the ability to outstretch defenders with his extended catch radius. Although his blocking ability is still a work in progress from a technical aspect, Brame possesses the strength to outmatch many defenders.

The Derby, Kansas native has deep ties to the Kansas State Wildcats. His father, Da’Von, played defensive end for the Wildcats in 1996-2000. His mother, Nicky Ramage-Brame, played basketball at Kansas State during this same timeframe. In her senior year of high school, Nicky was Miss Kansas Basketball.

Da’Saahn Brame Highlight Reel

Brame has received ten FBS scholarship offers since January. All but one are from Power 5 schools. Brame’s other scholarship offers are from Michigan, Houston, Penn State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and UAB. Brame has an unofficial visit to Oklahoma scheduled for March 25th.

Wisconsin Football Recruiting: State of the 2025 Class

Wisconsin football has yet to secure a commitment in its 2025 recruiting class. The Badgers have extended scholarship offers to nine tight end prospects in the class.

RELATED: Wisconsin Football Is a Destination for Mettauer, Mordecai, Top QBs

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FB Recruiting

Wisconsin Football in the Drivers Seat for Another 2024 Recruit

Published

2 weeks ago

March 12, 2023

Dillon Graff

Sep 22, 2012; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers helmets sit on the field during warmups prior to the game against the UTEP Miners at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin defeated UTEP 37-26. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Madison, Wis. — Since taking over the Wisconsin football program, Luke Fickell and his coaching staff have injected some much-needed life into the Badgers, particularly on the recruiting front.

As it stands, UW has the No. 24 ranked recruiting class in the country, currently holding commitments from four-stars Grat Stec (TE), Mabrey Mettauer (QB), and three-star tight end Rob Booker.

Now it appears that things are quickly moving in the right direction with another 2024 prospect the Badgers coaching staff has had their eyes on.

Wisconsin Football Picks Up Crystal Ball for 2024 OT

Earlier this week, 247Sports recruiting insider Evan Flood put in a crystal ball prediction on 2024 offensive tackle Marcus Harrison out of Hamburg, New York, to wind up with the Wisconsin football program.

The 6-foot-8, 295-pound picked up a scholarship offer from UW back in February and has quickly made their way to the front of his list.

Currently rated as a three-star prospect by the Rivals recruiting database, Harrison holds offers from Buffalo, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, West Virginia, and UW.

You can watch his HUDL film here.

Harrison visited Madison last September under the previous coaching staff and intends to take an official visit to UW sometime in June — at which point I’d put the giant offensive tackle on commitment watch.

“I would say Wisconsin is my number one, ” Harrison told 247Sports. “I love their style of play. They run the ball, run the ball. That’s what I want to do.”

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FB Recruiting

Wisconsin Football: Latest Recruiting Roundup

Published

2 weeks ago

March 9, 2023

Jake Maier

Wisconsin football recruiting roundup

It’s been a busy few days on the recruiting front for the Wisconsin football program. Badger Notes has you covered on all the latest offers as Wisconsin continues to truck along the recruiting trail.

Owen Strebig

The Badgers handed out an in-state offer to 2025 offensive tackle Owen Strebig.

Strebig, who attends Catholic Memorial in Waukesha, joins the long list of Big Ten teams to throw their hat in the ring for the Wisconsin native. Other conference opponents to offer the 6-foot-7, 285-pound lineman include Northwestern, Iowa, Illinois, Penn State, Indiana, Minnesota, and Purdue.

Strebig will visit Madison on March 30th as the Badgers attempt to bring in a young prospect who has recently picked up plenty of interest.

Ousmane Kromah

Wisconsin football offered 2025 running back Ousmane Kromah on Monday afternoon. The Georgia native took to Twitter to announce the offer.

Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Wisconsin pic.twitter.com/aqPa0hQjoi

— Ousmane Kromah (@OusmaneKromah05) March 7, 2023

Kromah holds offers from high-profile programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Colorado. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound running back has elite speed and strength, making him one of the top options in the 2025 class.

The Badgers are up against tough competition to land the young tailback, but they have thrown their hat in the ring.

Zy’Marion Lang

The Badgers dished out another offer on Monday, this time to 2024 wide receiver Zy’Marion Lang.

A three-star recruit out of Florida, Lang holds ten division one offers, with notable offers from schools such as Tennessee, South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Indiana.

According to the 247Sports Composite, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound receiver is the No. 74 WR in the class and the No. 81 player in Florida.

The Badgers have offered plenty of receivers in the 2024 class, and Wisconsin looks to be one of Lang’s most attractive offers as it currently stands.

Marquise Davis

Versatile athlete Marquise Davis received an offer from Wisconsin on Monday and took to Twitter to announce the offer.

AAGT with @CoachSpalding_ I am blessed to receive my 17th D1 offer from the university of Wisconsin 🦡 #skobadgers 🔴⚪️ @CoachNewton2 @MacStephens @kahari_hicks @Rivals_Clint @SWiltfong247 @AllenTrieu @SeanFitzOn3 pic.twitter.com/nqQb2b5kUb

— Marquise Davis (@rlyquise) March 7, 2023

Davis, an Ohio native, currently holds 17 division one offers. Other Big Ten schools have offered the 2025 athlete, including Ohio State, Penn State, and Minnesota.

Davis plays running back and linebacker for Cleveland Heights high school. His versatility makes him an intriguing option, but he’ll likely play as a running back at the collegiate level.

With a long list of offers, the Badgers will have an uphill battle to secure the young athlete.

Daniel Freitag

Finally, Wisconsin football’s most recent offer comes in 2024 WR Daniel Freitag.

Blessed to have received an offer from the University of Wisconsin ‼️ #GoBadgers #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/ncuDYQqK9Q

— Daniel Freitag (2024) (@DanielFreitag_) March 7, 2023

If the name rings a bell, Freitag is one of Greg Gard’s top options in his 2024 recruiting class. Freitag is a two-sport athlete, playing point guard for Jefferson Senior High School basketball and wide receiver in football.

According to the 247Sports Composite, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound receiver is a three-star recruit. UW joins Notre Dame and Minnesota as the three schools offering Freitag in basketball and football.

Now with two offers on the table from UW, will Fickell land the two-sport athlete, or will Gard? Only time will tell.

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