Wisconsin Football ‘Still In a Great Spot’ With Blue-Chip Recruit

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers football program want to return the Badgers’ offensive line play to the gold standard. Jack Bicknell Jr. was re-assigned to make that happen, and AJ Blazek was hired in his place.

Now comes the hard part: rebuilding a position group recruited to play a completely different offensive system. The Wisconsin Badgers took five offensive linemen in the 2024 recruiting class, headlined by top-50 talent Kevin Heywood and four-star guard Emerson Mandell.

With three-star in-state offensive tackle Michael Roeske already in the fold in the 2025 recruiting cycle, Wisconsin football now has its sights set on four-star offensive tackle Rowan Byrne from New York.

When Byrne embarked on an unofficial recruiting visit to Madison last June, the Badgers coaching staff made a favorable impression.

“My visit was amazing. It was clear to me and my mom that I am a priority to Wisconsin and that means a lot,” Byrne told Badger Notes. ” It’s the people that make Wisconsin special.”

It was great being in Madison, the best college town in the country, over the weekend!! Thank you to everyone for having my mom and I out we loved it!! @BadgerFootball @CoachFick @CoachBicknell @CullenLCasey @CaseyRabach_61 @CoachPhilLongo @Joespags12 @ionafootball @CoachMoffitt pic.twitter.com/MfmD0pV3ul

— Rowan Byrne 4⭐️ (@RowanByrne6) June 19, 2023

That said, Wisconsin football assistant Coach Blazek and Bryne have yet to meet in person, but that’s expected to change soon.

Rowan Byrne to Visit Wisconsin Football Program During the Spring 

Rowan Byrne is regarded as a four-star recruit, the nation’s No. 31 offensive tackle, and the top overall prospect in New York, per the industry-generated composite rankings.

He holds 24 scholarship offers, most notably from Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and several others.

The 6-foot-6, 297-pound lineman, who is considered a priority target for the Wisconsin football staff, intends to revisit Madison this spring.

“I’m still in a great spot with Wisconsin,” Byrne said. “I love it out there. I’m excited to get out in the spring… He [coach Blazek] is definitely a guy you want to play for.”

While he’s keeping his options open for now, a few schools in particular have piqued Byrne’s interest at this point in his recruitment: Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Florida State, and Penn State.

As he plans to return to Madison sometime this spring, Wisconsin football coaches remain committed to making him a priority in their recruitment efforts. That said, the relationship Byrne builds with Coach Blazek will be paramount in staying in the mix heading into the summer.

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