Wisconsin Football Signees Crack On3’s 2024 Top 100 Recruits

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football program have put together one of the best recruiting classes in school history, highlighted by generational talent on the offensive line.

Following a successful signing day and Coach Fickell’s first official recruiting cycle in Madison, two signees earned spots in On3.com’s official 2024 Top 100 Recruits rankings — offensive linemen Kevin Heywood at No. 33 and Emerson Mandell at No. 81.

Complimenting fellow commits Dillin Jones, Darrion Dupree, and Gideon Ituka in the backfield, the Badgers are set to bolster their already feared run attack, distracting defenses from the “Air Raid” offensive scheme that offensive coordinator Phil Longo plans to implement into the playbook.

Two Wisconsin Football Signees Spotted in On3’s 2024 Top 100 Recruits

Fickell and Co. hit the offensive trenches hard in their inaugural recruiting cycle at Wisconsin.

At No. 33 on the recruiting board — one spot away from being a five-star recruit — stands offensive tackle Kevin Heywood out of Royersford, Pennsylvania. The 6’7″, 295 lb. lineman earned a 97-overall ranking from On3 and enters college football as the fifth-best at his position in the nation, and second-best from his state. Heywood received offers from Alabama, Michigan, USC, Penn State, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and several others before committing to Wisconsin in early June. The incoming freshman saw the field on both sides of the ball at Pope John Paul II High School, and is described as a “mauler by nature with the frame and functional athleticism to develop excellent pass-pro skills” by 247 Sports’ Gabe Brooks.

Exciting, right?

Fellow signee Emerson Mandell comes in at No. 81, an interior lineman out of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Standing at 6’5″ and 325 lbs., he was given a 95-overall ranking from On3 and is the fourth-best at his position, and second-best from his state. Mandell also held offers from significant schools, including Oklahoma, Iowa, Penn State, and Texas A&M. The four-star recruit will likely see the field as an underclassman alongside Heywood.

Wisconsin picked up eight four-star recruits this cycle per On3, complimented by three-stars Omillio Agard at the cornerback position, Darrion Dupree and Gideon Ituka as running backs, Mabrey Mettauer to throw the rock, and Anelu Lafaele to run the EDGE role.

The future is bright in Madison. With the College Football Playoffs expanding to 12 teams, expect the Badgers to compete for national glory in a couple years time.

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