Wisconsin Football: 3 Freshmen Who Could See Playing Time in 2024

The Wisconsin football program had a wild National Signing Day on Wednesday. The Badgers were able to retain all 20 verbal commits despite some recruiting battles coming down to the wire and even added two late signees. 

With 22 players signing their National Letter of Intent, UW has solidified a top-25 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle. Loads of talent will make their way to Madison soon, but which incoming freshman could see the field early?

Here are my predictions for the three true freshmen that could see playing time next season. 

Wisconsin Football Signee DL Dillan Johnson

Defensive line recruiting has been talked about at nauseam for some time now, but the need for impactful players in the trenches has never been more necessary. Wisconsin is bringing back only three players who recorded a stat last season, with Ben Barten, James Thompson Jr, and Cade McDonald returning next season. With a thin room, four-star DL Dillan Johnson could be one of the first incoming freshmen to earn playing time. 

Johnson, an Illinois native, made a massive jump in the recruiting rankings during his senior year. The four-star prospect is currently ranked as the No. 462 player in the nation, the No. 53 DL, and the No. 13 player in Illinois, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. 

Johnson is as physical as they come. With his wrestling background, he has the brute strength and ability to create leverage to drive offensive linemen backward. He’s also refined in his technique, with quick, aggressive hands and great footwork. Johnson could crack the two-deep in his freshman year with his unique blend of strength and sound technique. 

Wisconsin Football RB Gideon Ituka

I was originally going to give this nod to Darrion Dupree or Dilin Jones, but with Chez Mellusi announcing his return for one final season at Wisconsin, I’ll go with Gideon Ituka being the first freshman running back to see the field. 

Ituka is ranked as the No. 1053 player in the nation, the No. 79 RB, and the No. 29 player in Maryland, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. The three-star running back is coming off a standout senior year where he logged over 2,000 yards rushing and 30+ touchdowns. 

Chez Mellusi will be the veteran leader in a room ripe with young talent and will undoubtedly be Wisconsin’s RB1 in 2024. However, Ituka could see some situational playing time, specifically in short yardage. The 5-foot-10, 230-pound running back doesn’t have breakaway speed, but have him run between the tackles, and he can be a bruiser. While I think Jones and Dupree could see some time sparingly in their first year, Mellusi does all the things those two do at a high level. Gideon Ituka makes sense as a situational back, and he’s my pick from the three-headed monster the Badgers brought in to see the field first. 

Badgers TE Grant Stec

Other than defensive line, it’s hard to find a group thinner than the tight end room. Wisconsin will bring back Tucker Ashcraft and Riley Nowakowski next season, who combined for just 14 receptions, 142 yards, and two touchdowns last season, and former LSU TE Jackson McGohan will transfer in.

UW is also bringing in a four-star TE in Grant Stec, and with a thin room, he could see some early playing time. Stec is ranked as the No. 270 player in the nation, the No. 16 TE, and the No. 7 player in Illinois. 

Stec’s versatility is one of the main reasons he could earn some early playing time. Not only does he have good strength, a strong center of gravity, and good footwork as a blocker, but he can be a matchup nightmare when split out wide. Stec is also a solid route runner and can make plays in the flat, over the middle, and deep. His skill set is tailor-made for Phil Longo’s system, and with limited production returning, Stec could be a player who sees some time early. 

The first full recruiting cycle under Luke Fickell brought some promising returns. This class is ripe with talent, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more than just three guys get some early playing time.

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