The Wisconsin football program continues to add to what is quickly becoming one of the deepest position groups in its 2027 recruiting class.

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This time, the Badgers went into Texas and landed a commitment from Allen High School safety James “Trey” Roberson, who announced his pledge to Wisconsin not long after taking an official visit to Madison.

“I’m Home Badger Nation! #OnWisconsin #LetsWork,” Roberson wrote.

For Wisconsin, the commitment represents another recruiting win at a position that the staff has clearly prioritized.

Roberson becomes the third safety committed in the 2027 cycle, joining Dustin Roach and DJ Davis as the Badgers continue stockpiling talent in the secondary. Wisconsin safeties coach Jack Cooper took the lead on the recruitment and views the Texas native as a deep safety. This role places a premium on physicality, range, and reliability in coverage.

Those traits are part of what made Roberson such an attractive target.

At roughly 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Roberson already possesses a college-ready frame. Add in verified speed in the 4.4 range and the athletic profile becomes even more intriguing. He is the type of defender capable of matching up in coverage while still bringing enough size and toughness to be effective near the line of scrimmage.

The production backs it up.

As a junior at Allen High School, one of Texas’ premier football programs, Roberson recorded 60 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown while helping anchor the Eagles’ secondary.

Turn on the film and a clear pattern emerges.

Roberson plays fast, but more importantly, he plays physical. He closes quickly, arrives with bad intentions as a tackler, and consistently finds himself around the football. Whether defending the run, breaking on underneath routes, or providing support over the top, he plays with the confidence of a player who has already faced high-level competition.

Wisconsin wasn’t the only program that noticed.

Roberson held more than 30 scholarship offers, including opportunities from Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Baylor, Arkansas, Auburn, Nebraska, Michigan State, UCLA, Vanderbilt, SMU, Kansas State, and several others. His finalists ultimately came down to Wisconsin, TCU, Mississippi State, and UCF before the Badgers secured the verbal commitment.

The timing also continues what has been an impressive run on the recruiting trail.

Wisconsin entered official visit season with a lot of the early groundwork already completed in the 2027 cycle. Since then, the Badgers staff has turned multiple visit weekends into commitments, steadily climbing the national recruiting rankings while adding talent from across the country.

As things currently stand, Wisconsin sits at 22 commitments and ranks No. 13 nationally in the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings.

Roberson is the latest addition to that momentum.

For a coaching staff intent on adding more athleticism, versatility, and playmaking ability to the secondary, Wisconsin believes it landed another piece capable of helping shape the future of its defensive backfield.

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The Wisconsin football program has added another homegrown piece to its 2027 recruiting class.

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Pewaukee offensive lineman Jack Tabbert announced his commitment to Wisconsin, flipping from North Dakota State and giving offensive line coach Eric Mateos yet another in-state addition as the Badgers continue building one of the most Wisconsin-heavy classes in recent memory.

“🔴⚪️IM HOME⚪️🔴 🦡🦡🦡,” Tabbert wrote.

With Tabbert now in the fold, Wisconsin has secured commitments from 10 in-state prospects in the 2027 cycle. Specifically along the offensive line, Tabbert joins Cole Reiter, Ethan McIntosh, and twins Hunter and Reece Mallinger, giving Mateos five offensive line commitments and further reinforcing the staff’s emphasis on keeping top local talent home.

“The Wall is up around this state, and I’ll die to keep it that way 🦡💪🏼,” Mateos wrote on social media following the commitment.

For a coaching staff that has consistently preached the importance of winning recruiting battles inside Wisconsin, this one also fits the vision.

Tabbert wasn’t originally expected to end up in Madison. North Dakota State identified Tabbert early, extending a first scholarship offer in January before eventually securing his commitment in March. But after camping with Wisconsin’s staff, the Badgers entered the picture with a late scholarship offer, quickly changing the trajectory of his recruitment.

The opportunity to stay home ultimately proved difficult to pass up.

“After a new opportunity has arose and some careful consideration, I have decided to decommit from North Dakota State University,” Tabbert wrote. “I am extremely grateful for all the coaches and staff that believed in me, invested their time in me, and gave me the opportunity.”

Standing at roughly 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, Tabbert projects as an interior offensive lineman at the next level. He has spent time at multiple positions during his high school career, but his future likely lies at center or guard. That’s where Wisconsin believes Tabbert’s combination of size, toughness, and movement skills can be maximized over time.

Turn on the HUDL film, and one thing stands out immediately: he plays with an edge.

Tabbert consistently looks to finish blocks, moves well in space for a player his size, and shows the type of physical demeanor offensive line coaches love to build around. Whether pulling across the formation or working to the second level, he plays with a level of aggression that fits the identity Wisconsin has traditionally sought along the offensive front.

The unranked lineman’s offer list may not carry the same national headlines as some of Wisconsin’s recent commitments. That said, programs such as FAU, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, New Mexico State, South Dakota, Liberty, Yale, and Harvard all saw enough to extend scholarships. That doesn’t diminish the importance of the addition.

Wisconsin has historically built its best teams around strong offensive line play. The Badgers believe Tabbert has the traits, work ethic, and upside to continue that tradition alongside a talented in-state group that the staff hopes to develop, retain, and grow together over time.

And as the 2027 class continues to grow, Wisconsin’s message remains clear: if the Badgers want to get back to Big Ten relevance and compete for championships, protecting the borders of their own state still matters.

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The University of Wisconsin football program added another piece to its growing 2027 recruiting class when Chicago-area edge defender Darin Graham announced his commitment to Luke Fickell and the Badgers.

“Blessed to announce my commitment to Wisconsin ALL GLORY TO GOD!” Graham wrote.

For Wisconsin, this one feels particularly significant because the Badgers had to beat out a handful of serious contenders to get it done.

Graham entered the summer with Wisconsin, Ole Miss, and Georgia Tech sitting at the top of his recruitment after narrowing his scholarship list to include Kentucky, Purdue, Minnesota, and several other Power Four programs. But shortly after Graham’s official visit to Madison, the Mount Carmel standout ultimately decided that the Badgers were the right fit.

That decision gives Wisconsin another addition from one of the Midwest’s premier high school football programs. Mount Carmel has produced Power Four talent for decades, including current Badgers running back Darrion Dupree. Notably, Graham has helped the Caravan capture two state championships while earning CCL Blue All-Conference honors as a junior.

The physical traits are what initially jump off the page.

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The Wisconsin football program’s recruiting momentum from its first official visit weekend has carried directly into its second.

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This time, the Badgers staff reached into Big Sky country and landed a verbal commitment from Montana’s top-ranked prospect in the 2027 cycle when Great Falls standout Steele Harris announced his pledge to Luke Fickell and Wisconsin following his official visit to Madison.

“Let’s Work,” Harris wrote.

For a program looking to add more size, speed, and playmaking ability on the perimeter, Harris checks a lot of boxes.

At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Harris arrives with the frame of a Power Four receiver and the athletic profile to match. Several schools recruited him as an athlete, but Wisconsin thinks wide receiver is the best long-term fit. The combination of length, ball skills, and versatility made him one of the more intriguing receiver targets on Wisconsin’s board in this cycle.

And when you look at the production, it isn’t hard to understand why.

During his junior season at Great Falls High School, Harris hauled in 42 receptions for 781 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging nearly 19 yards per catch. He also carried the ball 40 times for 460 yards and five scores, giving his coaching staff another weapon to deploy offensively.

But Harris wasn’t finished there.

Defensively, he added 52 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble, showcasing the type of all-around athleticism that has made him one of Montana’s most coveted prospects.

That versatility is a recurring theme throughout his evaluation.

Turn on the HUDL film, and you’ll see a player who can win in multiple ways. Harris has enough speed to stretch defenses vertically, enough size to win contested catches, and enough athleticism after the catch to create explosive plays. His track background only reinforces what shows up on tape, where he routinely pulls away from defenders in the open field.

There’s also a strong football pedigree behind the prospect.

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The Wisconsin football program has spent much of the summer turning priority recruiting targets into commitments. On Saturday, the Badgers may have landed their most impressive defensive recruiting victory yet.

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Composite three-star defensive lineman Yahzeen Zion out of Goodyear (AZ.) announced his commitment to Wisconsin following his official visit to Madison, choosing the Badgers over Oklahoma and LSU despite holding scholarship offers from many of the nation’s premier programs.

“This is home,” Zion wrote.

And for Wisconsin, that’s a statement worth paying attention to.

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound defender isn’t the type of prospect Wisconsin routinely wins head-to-head battles for. Zion’s offer sheet included LSU, Oklahoma, Florida, Miami, Texas A&M, Penn State, USC, Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and several others. His recruitment had become increasingly national in scope, with additional official visits planned to Oklahoma and LSU before he ultimately decided he had seen enough.

Wisconsin’s staff made sure of that.

Outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell and defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow teamed up throughout the recruitment, reflecting just how unique Zion’s skill set is. Depending on the situation, he can line up as a traditional defensive lineman, reduce inside, or operate off the edge.

That’s part of what makes him so intriguing.

While Zion is already physically imposing, his background as a basketball player shows up throughout his HUDL film. He moves differently than most players his size. There is looseness in his hips, explosiveness off the ball, and an ability to change direction that helps explain why coaches believe his best football remains ahead of him.

The production isn’t bad either.

During his junior season at Desert Edge High School, Zion recorded 57 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles while consistently creating disruption in opposing backfields. But his evaluation has always been about more than statistics. Wisconsin is betting on traits.

The Badgers have made a concerted effort to add more length, athleticism, and positional flexibility across the defensive front. Zion fits that profile perfectly. He has the frame to continue adding strength, the movement skills to play multiple roles, and the upside to develop into the type of impact defender every program in the country is searching for.

His commitment also strengthens an increasingly impressive Arizona pipeline for Wisconsin in the 2027 class. Zion joins fellow Desert Edge standout Nathan Jones and four-star wide receiver Jai Jones, giving the Badgers three notable commitments from Arizona as the staff continues expanding its recruiting footprint in the Southwest.

And as Wisconsin continues stacking commitments coming out of official visit season, this one stands out. The Badgers didn’t just land another talented defensive recruit. They beat some of college football’s biggest brands for a player they believe has the tools to become a difference-maker.

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The Wisconsin football program landed one of its biggest recruiting wins of the 2027 cycle.

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Fresh off an official visit to Madison, four-star safety Mekhi Williams announced his verbal commitment to Luke Fickell and the Badgers, giving Wisconsin its highest-ranked defensive commitment in the class.

For a program that has made major strides on the recruiting trail this spring and summer while putting together this class, landing a prospect of Williams’ caliber feels like a different caliber of recruiting win.

Williams isn’t just another addition to the class. He’s the type of prospect Wisconsin has historically had to battle national programs for — and rarely won. The Florida native had been committed to Florida State since March of 2025, but reopened his recruitment shortly after visiting. Once that happened, the momentum shifted quickly, and it didn’t take long for recruiting analysts to begin projecting the Badgers as the team to beat.

“This decision wasn’t easy, but God has a plan for me and I know this is the best decision for myself,” Williams wrote. “Thank you God for the opportunity and I just wanna thank you in advance! I just wanna thank all the coaches for the opportunity to be a part of your program.

“After careful consideration, and a long talk with my family, I have decided to decommit and will not be attending Florida State. I truly appreciate the time, effort, and support you have shown me throughout the process. I wish the program success. Thanks again to the coaches for everything!”

A few days later, Williams made it official. And from a pure talent standpoint, it’s easy to understand why Wisconsin pushed so hard.

At roughly 6-foot-3 and 165 pounds, Williams possesses the type of length, athleticism, and range that defensive coordinators spend years searching for in the secondary. A standout track athlete, Williams brings verified speed and movement skills that show up all over his film. Whether he’s patrolling the deep middle, matching receivers in coverage, or driving downhill toward the football, Williams can cover ground in a hurry.

The production matches the traits.

Through three varsity seasons at Lennard High School, Williams recorded 74 tackles, 10 interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. As a junior, the Florida native registered 33 tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions, showcasing the ball skills that have made him such a coveted recruit.

Turn on the tape, and one thing becomes clear almost immediately: Williams finds the football. He tracks passes naturally, plays comfortably in space, and consistently puts himself in position to create takeaways.

There is still plenty of physical development ahead as he continues filling out his frame, but the upside is significant. That part of the equation will eventually fall on director of strength and conditioning Brady Collins and his staff once Williams joins the program.

While recruiting services view him as one of the nation’s top safety prospects in Florida, Wisconsin envisions Williams at cornerback, where his length and athletic traits could allow him to thrive on the perimeter. Defensive backs coach Paul Haynes and safeties coach Robert Steeples, who served as the lead recruiter, played key roles in bringing that vision to life throughout the recruiting process.

The commitment also represents another major recruiting victory for a class that continues gaining momentum.

Wisconsin entered its first official visit weekend with 13 commitments already in the fold and a strong in-state foundation well established. Since then, the Badgers have turned that momentum into results, landing commitments from four-star wide receiver Jai Jones, linebacker Nathan Jones, defensive back Royalton Allen, and now Williams.

From a roster-building standpoint, it’s a home-run fit. Wisconsin has made a clear effort to add more length, speed, and playmaking ability to the secondary. Williams checks all three boxes while giving the Badgers another player who could develop into an impact defender in the Big Ten.

More importantly, his commitment serves as another signal that Wisconsin’s recruiting ambitions have changed. Landing a top Florida prospect who was once committed to Florida State isn’t the type of victory the Badgers have consistently secured in the past. But it’s exactly the type of win that Fickell’s staff believes it must stack if they’re going to climb back into contention and get the program back on track.

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The University of Wisconsin football program continues to stack recruiting wins coming out of a pivotal stretch of official visits.

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This time, the Badgers landed a verbal commitment from three-star California defensive back Royalton Allen, a versatile two-way standout from Oak Hills High School who announced his pledge to Luke Fickell and Wisconsin shortly after wrapping up his official visit to Madison.

“Home sweet home 🦡,” Allen wrote.

Allen becomes another notable addition to Wisconsin’s 2027 recruiting class and gives the Badgers a prospect with the type of athletic versatility coaches covet in today’s game. He also joins four-star wide receiver Jai Jones and linebacker Nathan Jones as players who verbally committed to the coaching staff following the program’s first official visit weekend.

The 6-foot, 175-pound athlete is expected to begin his career on defense, where Wisconsin views him as a defensive back with the range, physicality, and coverage ability to develop into a multi-year contributor. But part of what makes Allen intriguing is that he has spent much of his high school career impacting games on both sides of the football.

Whether lining up at receiver, cornerback, or safety, Allen consistently found ways to make plays. During his junior season, he posted 34 total tackles and three interceptions across nine games on defense.

When you turn on the HUDL film, the athletic traits become obvious.

Allen is a fluid mover with good closing speed, natural ball skills, and the kind of competitive edge that allows him to play bigger than his listed size. There is a physical element to his game that shows up both as a tackler and when making plays on the ball in coverage. Those athletic traits helped Allen emerge as such a highly sought-after defensive back.

Wisconsin wasn’t alone in pursuing him.

Allen held scholarship offers from programs such as Colorado State, BYU, Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, USC, Vanderbilt, Utah, Arizona State, North Carolina, and Georgia, among others. He was previously committed to UCLA before reopening his recruitment in Dec. 2025 following coaching changes, creating an opportunity that Wisconsin’s staff capitalized on.

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The Wisconsin football program's biggest official visit weekend of the summer continues to pay dividends on the recruiting trail.

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Following his official visit to Madison, composite three-star linebacker Nathan Jones out of Goodyear (AZ.) announced his verbal commitment to head coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers, giving Wisconsin another talented piece to develop in the front seven in its 2027 recruiting class.

“Committed. #AGTG #OnWisconsin,” Jones wrote.

And unlike some prospects whose evaluations begin with projection, Jones arrives with a résumé built on production.

Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker has been one of the more disruptive defensive players in Arizona. As a junior at Desert Edge High School, Jones recorded 90 total tackles (65 solo), 25 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and an interception.

That’s not accidental production. Those numbers belong to a player who spends a lot of time in the backfield.

And because Jones apparently wasn’t busy enough on defense, he also contributed offensively with 494 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 49 carries, further illustrating the athleticism that makes him intriguing.

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The University of Wisconsin football program appears to have found its next architect behind the scenes.

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According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Wisconsin is expected to hire longtime NFL personnel executive Morocco Brown as the program’s next general manager, bringing more than two decades of scouting and personnel experience to Madison.

And in many ways, the timing makes sense.

When former Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh accepted a position with the Big Ten, former Badgers football general manager Marcus Sedberry stepped into the role of interim athletic director.

That move created a significant opening within the Badgers’ football operation and left head coach Luke Fickell searching for someone capable of navigating an increasingly complicated era of roster management.

“The biggest thing for us right now is obviously Marcus Sedberry and what he has to do in his role,” Fickell said. “There are some decisions we’re going to have to make moving forward regarding what direction we can go, based on what they’re going to do and what he’s going to do.

“Other than that, I think, selfishly speaking, it’s a decent time for us because we’re locked in through all the recruiting and portal work for this season. Now, obviously, recruiting for the following year never stops, but at least we’re in a place where the focus can be on spring football.”

Enter Brown.

The veteran personnel executive arrives with one of the most extensive NFL résumés Wisconsin has brought into the program during the Fickell era. Brown most recently served as Chief Personnel Executive for the Indianapolis Colts, where he spent nearly a decade helping oversee scouting, draft preparation, roster construction, and player evaluation.

Before that, Brown held personnel leadership roles with the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and Cleveland Browns. His NFL career spans more than 25 years and includes experience evaluating both pro and collegiate talent at virtually every level of the scouting process.

That background is what makes this hire particularly interesting.

The role of a college football general manager barely existed a decade ago, at least not anything like its current function. Modern-day front-office decision-makers sit at the center of roster construction. Between managing funds, navigating the transfer portal, NIL negotiations, scholarship management, and high school recruiting evaluations, building a roster increasingly resembles running a professional franchise.

Wisconsin’s decision to target someone with Brown’s background signals a continued push toward professionalizing the football operation.

Brown’s reputation throughout NFL circles has long centered on talent identification and scouting infrastructure. During his time in Indianapolis, Brown played a role in evaluating and acquiring players such as Quenton Nelson, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., and Darius Leonard. He also interviewed for multiple NFL general manager positions during his career, further underscoring the respect he commands throughout the league.

The one adjustment will be the college side of the equation.

While Brown’s evaluation credentials are difficult to question, managing a college roster in 2026 requires balancing recruiting, NIL, retention, and portal acquisition simultaneously. That environment differs from the traditional NFL personnel model he spent most of his career navigating.

There are very few guardrails in today’s college football landscape. It’s become quite clear that not every program is operating with the same financial resources, and deciding where those resources are allocated year after year — while still building and sustaining a healthy locker room culture has become one of the most difficult balancing acts in the sport.

Still, it’s easy to understand why Fickell and Wisconsin were attracted to the profile.

Brown also arrives at a pivotal moment for the program. Wisconsin is coming off a disappointing 4-8 season, and with Fickell entering Year 4 of his tenure, the pressure to produce results on the field is only increasing.

The Badgers have invested heavily in modernizing the football program over the past several years. Hiring a respected NFL talent evaluator with decades of personnel experience represents another step in that process.

As Wisconsin continues searching for ways to close the gap within the Big Ten, Brown now becomes one of the most important personnel additions to the program’s future — even if his work takes place behind the scenes.

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The Wisconsin football staff entered its first major official visit weekend of the summer looking to turn recruiting momentum into commitments.

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It didn’t take long.

Four-star wide receiver Jai Jones out of Chandler (AZ.) announced his verbal commitment to Luke Fickell and the Badgers following his visit to Madison. With Jones in the fold, he becomes one of Wisconsin’s highest-rated prospects in the 2027 recruiting class and provides new wide receivers coach Ari Confesor with his first commitment at the position.

That part matters.

When Confesor joined the coaching staff, he inherited a wide receiver room that had already been heavily rebuilt through the transfer portal. One of his top priorities was helping create stability at the position while continuing to add long-term pieces through high school recruiting.

So, landing a blue-chip recruit like Jones during his first official visit weekend is an encouraging early sign for the direction that Wisconsin’s staff hopes to take the position group moving forward. Simply put, they need better talent and high-end athletes to compete in the Big Ten.

And this wasn’t a recruitment that developed overnight.

Wisconsin offered Jones back in January and quietly made the Chandler High School standout one of its top priorities on offense. The Badgers stayed involved throughout the process and ultimately beat out finalists Arizona and Cal for the talented pass catcher, while holding off a lengthy offer list that included Indiana, Oregon, Nebraska, Washington, Utah, Missouri, Kansas State, Iowa, and Arizona State, among several others.

The production alone was enough to get attention.

As a junior at Chandler High School, Jones hauled in 54 receptions for 922 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging more than 17 yards per catch. But the numbers only tell part of the story.

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The Wisconsin football program will be moving forward without one of the running backs it signed in the 2026 recruiting class.

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Composite 3-star recruit Qwantavius Wiggins has been released from his National Letter of Intent and will no longer join the Badgers this summer, instead announcing his commitment to Georgia State.

“COMMITTED & SIGNED,” Wiggins wrote. “The city raised me. Now it’s time to represent it. 100% committed to Georgia State University!”

The development closes the door on a Wisconsin signee who never even reached the point of enrollment or integration into the program.

Wiggins originally committed to FIU before flipping to Wisconsin in November of 2025 after building a strong relationship with then-running backs coach Devon Spalding and a few other members of the Badgers coaching staff. At the time, Wisconsin viewed Wiggins as one of the more explosive running back prospects available late in the cycle.

And it wasn’t difficult to understand why.

Playing for Langston Hughes High School in Georgia, Wiggins rushed for 1,003 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior while sharing carries in a talented backfield that also featured 4-star Texas A&M signee Casyn Baker. Despite splitting carries, the senior tailback still averaged 9.0 yards per carry and also added six catches for 125 yards receiving.

The speed consistently stood out on film.

Wiggins possessed the ability to erase angles in the open field and create explosive plays whenever he touched the football, making him a somewhat different stylistic fit from several of the backs Wisconsin already had on the roster. That was something head coach Luke Fickell emphasized when the Badgers originally signed him back in December.

“He plays some really good ball,” Fickell said of Wiggins on National Signing Day.

“He plays at a really high level. Plays the best ball in Georgia. He can run now. He’s got speed. He’s a splash guy. I think he’s different than the guys we’ve got in the program.”

Ultimately, though, Wiggins never made it to campus.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back did not enroll at Wisconsin, and with Spalding departing the program earlier this year for Michigan State, the circumstances surrounding his recruitment changed considerably from when he initially signed with the Badgers.

Since then, Wisconsin’s running back room has undergone significant changes of its own.

Position coach Jayden Everett inherited a running back room that needed a facelift and responded by adding transfer portal options such as Abu Sama, Bryan Jackson, Nate Palmer, and, more recently, JUCO standout Julius Pope, while also retaining and building around junior Darrion Dupree, a player this staff identified and recruited out of high school.

For Wisconsin, the move — even if it was expected — means one less scholarship player in the 2026 class. For Wiggins, it provides an opportunity to remain closer to home and continue his career in Atlanta.

What was originally expected to be a two-running-back class featuring Wiggins and Amari Latimer, who flipped his commitment to West Virginia, will now end with neither prospect ever wearing the Motion W.

While situations like this remain uncommon, Wiggins’ departure serves as a reminder that even signed recruiting classes aren’t truly finalized until prospects arrive on campus and officially become part of the program.

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Maybe it’s because the Badgers also signed a two-year SEC starter at safety in former Missouri Tiger Marvin Burks Jr. Maybe it’s because Van Dinter only played 180 defensive snaps last season during his redshirt freshman year at Iowa State, finishing with 18 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, and one pass deflection.

Regardless, the Kaukauna, Wisconsin, native shouldn’t be an afterthought on this team. He may not be positioned for a starting role, but he’s only one injury away. What’s more, head coach Luke Fickell has alluded to the possibility of more exotic looks on defense this fall with three-safety and three-inside linebacker formations.

You’ll see Van Dinter on the field in some capacity this season. And after diving into his All-22 film, there’s a lot to like about his game. Below, BadgerNotes breaks down the tape:

It’s easy to tell what Van Dinter’s (#36) calling card is as soon as you pop on the tape: speed.

Above, Van Dinter is playing field safety, and in case you missed him, he’s the one who flies across the field and makes the tackle.

There’s a lot to like about this rep. Kansas State is trying to set up a perimeter run, but the Cyclones’ defense is very sound in its gap discipline. Just when the back appears to have daylight and turns the corner, Van Dinter flies in to make the stop.

You love the safety’s closing speed and ability to diagnose this play, but the hit he lays down on the tailback is nothing to scoff at either.

“He does like to hit, there’s no doubt about it,” defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said of Van Dinter during spring practice.

Van Dinter’s speed goes hand in hand with his instincts. He’s still learning the intricacies of playing defense — we’ll get there soon — but lots of young players struggle with playing fast and free as their minds overflow with information.

That’s not something you see out of Van Dinter; there are very few wasted steps when he attacks the football:

Even though he’s not the one who winds up making the tackle, Van Dinter blows up this reverse. As soon as Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson pitches the ball to the receiver, he explodes out of his stance and is the first one in the backfield.

This rep is also a great representation of where Van Dinter is in his development. His natural ability allows him to fly into the backfield, but he’s not yet a complete player; Wildcats wideout Jace Brown gives him a nice dead-leg and manages to break the tackle.

However, that’s not to say Van Dinter was a liability as a tackler; in fact, that was one of his stronger traits on tape:

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The Wisconsin football program continues to tighten its grip on the in-state recruiting landscape in the 2027 cycle.

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This time, the Badgers flipped one of the state’s top linebacker prospects when Amery (Wis.) standout Keaton Wollan announced his verbal commitment to Luke Fickell and Wisconsin after previously being pledged to Iowa State.

“Staying Home! 🦡,” Wollan wrote.

The move gives Wisconsin its 13th verbal commitment in the 2027 class and, perhaps more importantly, its ninth in-state commitment in the cycle. Wollan’s addition is the latest example of how aggressively the Badgers have prioritized locking down top homegrown talent early in the cycle.

For context, the most in-state signees Wisconsin has taken in a single class came in 2011 under Bret Bielema with 10. However, not every in-state recruiting cycle produces this many Power Four-caliber prospects.

And once Wisconsin officially entered the picture with a scholarship offer for Wollan — despite him holding offers from programs like Iowa State, Texas Tech, and North Dakota State — the momentum shifted quickly.

Wollan had originally committed to Iowa State back in April after building a strong relationship with the Cyclones coaching staff. But Wisconsin inside linebackers coach Tuf Borland, who served as the lead recruiter for the three-star linebacker, continued evaluating the in-state product from a distance before pushing the chips all in this spring to seal the deal.

From a roster-building standpoint, the fit makes plenty of sense.

Standing at roughly 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Wollan brings the type of frame and athletic profile that Wisconsin has increasingly leaned toward at linebacker under Fickell’s staff. He’s long, explosive downhill, and plays with a physical edge that shows up immediately on Wollan’s HUDL film.

But the production is what really jumps off the page.

As a junior at Amery High School, Wollan piled up 125 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and three interceptions en route to first-team all-state honors and Middle Border Conference player of the year recognition.

And that was only half the story.

Offensively, the Amery standout also rushed for 932 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground while averaging nearly six yards per carry, giving evaluators another glimpse into the athleticism and instincts that make him such an intriguing linebacker projection long term.

Turn on the film, and the first thing that stands out is how quickly he diagnoses plays. Wollan closes space in a hurry, shoots gaps aggressively against the run, and consistently arrives at contact with bad intentions. There’s also enough fluidity in his movement skills to project comfortably in coverage situations, which matters in this version of the Big Ten.

And in a lot of ways, this commitment says just as much about Wisconsin’s overall recruiting strategy as it does the player itself.

The Badgers have worked hard to build this class around in-state foundations before aggressively expanding nationally ahead of official visit season. Keeping top Wisconsin prospects home remains a major priority for the staff, particularly at developmental positions like linebacker, where continuity, culture fit, and long-term growth matter.

More recently, Wisconsin has started adding national pieces to complement that in-state foundation, including Connecticut defensive lineman Will Zaccagnino, Delaware defensive back DJ Davis, legacy quarterback Jack Sorgi, and Illinois defensive lineman David Hill.

Within that framework, flipping Wollan away from another Power Four program feels like a meaningful win for Wisconsin football as it works to get the program back on track and closer to its historical roots.

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Spring practice is officially in the books for the University of Wisconsin football team, which means the evaluation phase is just getting started.

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I’ve got another round of mailbag questions to work through, and this one leans a little more into where things stand coming out of spring. We’ll get into whether last season’s offensive struggles may have skewed how Wisconsin’s defense was perceived, how much better the quarterback room really looks heading into the fall, and what to make of an overhauled cornerback group that could quietly be one of the most improved units on the roster.

Let’s dive in.

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The University of Wisconsin football program knew changes were coming along the defensive line.

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When you lose veterans like Ben Barten, Jay’Viar Suggs, Parker Petersen, and Brandon Lane from the interior, you don’t just need to replace that production — you’re replacing experience, physicality, and a group of players who understood what it took to survive in the trenches of the Big Ten.

That’s part of why Wisconsin attacked the transfer portal the way it did this offseason. After struggling badly against the run in 2024 — finishing 89th nationally in defensive EPA per rush, according to Game on Paper — the Badgers made a significant jump to 25th in 2025. That happened after Mike Tressel and the staff prioritized more size and physicality up front.

It was an acknowledgment that the lighter, athletic-based defensive fronts that worked at Cincinnati weren’t translating the same way in a Big Ten conference built around grown-man football at the line of scrimmage.

The Badgers brought in a handful of experienced bodies from the portal to help reshape the room under position coach E.J. Whitlow, including Junior Poyser from Buffalo, Hammond Russell IV from West Virginia, Jake Anderson from Illinois State, and DeNigel Cooper from Appalachian State. Those players joined the program with meaningful college snaps already under their belts, which lowers some of the projection involved.

That said, the philosophy seems pretty clear. Wisconsin wants size. They want veterans who have proven themselves. And they want enough depth to rotate fresh bodies and hold up physically against the kind of rushing attacks that this conference throws at you over the course of a season.

Even though most of the attention naturally shifts toward the portal additions, there’s also a returning player quietly working his way into the conversation: Nolan Vils.

The 6-foot-2, 304-pound Prairie du Sac native might not be the first name fans think about when discussing Wisconsin’s defensive line room. Even so, internally, Vils has put himself in a position to compete for a rotational role heading into fall camp.

Vils appeared in eight games during the 2025 season, primarily in heavy personnel packages, and logged 34 defensive snaps. The production was limited — just one assisted tackle, which came against Middle Tennessee State — but the underlying metrics showed some encouraging signs for a player still developing physically and learning the position at this level.

According to Pro Football Focus, Vils finished with a 62.8 overall defensive grade, including a 65.6 mark against the run and a 69.7 tackling grade. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but for a rotational player seeing limited action inside, they reflect someone who largely held his own when given opportunities. For an unranked in-state player who joined the program as a walk-on in 2023, it’s hard to ask for more than that.

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The NFL Draft has long served as one of the clearest measuring sticks for the health of college football programs.

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And this year, that measuring stick delivered what Luke Fickell described as an “eye-opening realization” for the Wisconsin football program.

For the first time since 1978, the University of Wisconsin failed to produce a single NFL Draft pick. This result stood out even more when compared against the rest of the Power Four landscape, where teams across the country sent players to the next level at its highest rate in the modern era.

In total, 15 FBS programs produced seven or more draft picks in 2026, while 231 of the draft’s 257 selections came from Power Four conferences. That’s the gap Wisconsin is trying to close — not only climbing out of the bottom tier of the Big Ten and restoring respectability to the program, but eventually pushing it toward the level university leadership envisioned when it hired Fickell away from Cincinnati after leading the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021.

“It’s disappointing, but it’s also a realization,” Fickell said of Wisconsin not having a player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. “It is what it is, but I think there is some realization that I’m gonna make sure these guys in this program understand and know. … That’s the realization of where we are, and that’s not the expectation. That’s not what we want. That’s not what we desire to have, well then we need to change it. So there are a lot of things we can do to make sure that’s not the case, but it’s also an eye-opening realization to say that’s where we are, and we’ve got to change.”

The reality is, Wisconsin still had players land opportunities after the draft concluded.

A handful of former Badgers signed undrafted free agent deals or earned rookie minicamp invites after the draft, giving them opportunities to continue pursuing professional careers. But Fickell’s point wasn’t necessarily about whether Wisconsin had NFL-caliber players somewhere on the roster. It was about the standard that they failed to uphold.

For years, Wisconsin built much of its identity around player development and NFL production, particularly along the offensive line, at linebacker, tight end, and running back. Seeing the draft come and go without hearing a single Badgers player selected served as another reminder that the program still has significant ground to make up after back-to-back disappointing seasons under Fickell, where they failed to make a bowl.

Entering Year 4 under Fickell, Wisconsin owns a 17-21 overall record and a 10-17 mark in Big Ten play during his tenure, along with just one bowl appearance — numbers that fall well short of the expectations that accompanied his arrival from Cincinnati. And internally, there’s an understanding that simply acknowledging the issue isn’t enough anymore.

Wisconsin has invested heavily, both financially and structurally, to change the program’s trajectory. The Badgers moved aggressively in the transfer portal, retooled parts of the coaching staff, increased spending around recruiting and personnel, and continued pouring resources into areas designed to modernize the operation and accelerate the rebuild.

What also makes the conversation more complicated is the reality of modern roster building. Early in Fickell’s tenure, there was a fair argument that Wisconsin needed time for recruiting classes to fully develop before the NFL Draft became a meaningful measuring stick. But in today’s transfer portal era, where programs can reshape rosters each year through glorified free agency, that timeline has accelerated considerably.

Wisconsin may not operate with the same NIL budget as programs like Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, or Michigan. Still, the Badgers also haven’t been working from the bottom of the financial landscape either. At some point, the lack of draftable talent becomes tied not only to resources but also to talent evaluation, roster construction, and player development.

Compounding that reality even further, the two Wisconsin players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft — Tanor Bortolini and Braelon Allen — along with the two players drafted in 2025 — Jack Nelson and Hunter Wohler — were all originally recruited under former head coach Paul Chryst. That context matters when evaluating where Wisconsin currently stands from a roster-development standpoint under coach Fickell.

All of that helps explain how Wisconsin arrived at this point. But it doesn’t ultimately change how the sport measures progress — or how Power Four programs like Wisconsin are judged nationally. The results still matter.

NFL Draft picks remain one of the clearest reflections of roster quality, development, and the overall health of a college football program. And right now, Wisconsin understands it isn’t where it expects to be.

That’s what made Fickell’s comments notable.

There was no attempt to spin the situation or pretend the standard had somehow changed. Instead, the message coming out of Madison was fairly direct. Wisconsin’s coaching staff understands where it currently stands, and the expectation inside the building is that it can’t afford to stay there for long, especially now that former athletic director Chris McIntosh — the man who hired Fickell — is no longer in the picture after taking a job as Deputy Commissioner for Strategy within the Big Ten.

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The Wisconsin football program wrapped up spring practice and didn’t waste much time before adding another piece to the roster.

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That addition came in the form of top-ranked JUCO running back Julius “JuJu” Pope, whose commitment to the Badgers was first reported by Chris Hummer of 247Sports after Pope emerged as one of the more dynamic junior college backs in the country during the 2025 season.

Pope arrives in Madison with a somewhat unconventional path.

The 6-foot, 195-pound Mississippi native originally signed with Arkansas as a highly regarded four-star linebacker prospect coming out of South Panola High School, where he starred as a two-way player and was one of the top athletes in the state. After redshirting during his lone season with the Razorbacks, Pope entered the transfer portal, transitioned full-time to running back, and resurfaced at Northwest Mississippi Community College.

That move changed the trajectory of his career.

During his lone JUCO season, Pope rushed for 729 yards and eight touchdowns on 120 carries while averaging 6.1 yards per attempt. He also added 32 receptions for 355 yards and three more scores, quickly establishing himself as one of the more versatile backs in the junior college ranks. His production eventually earned him recognition as the top-rated JUCO running back in the 2026 cycle, according to 247Sports.

And when you dig into the background, the athletic profile makes sense.

Before becoming a full-time running back, Pope piled up defensive production in high school, posting 82 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and nine sacks during his junior season while also averaging 12 yards per carry offensively. That two-way background still shows up in his game now.

On film, Pope runs with natural burst, catches the football comfortably out of the backfield, and brings the kind of contact balance and physicality that likely stems from spending years playing defense.

There’s also some untapped upside here, especially when you consider that Pope still has up to three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Pope is still relatively new to the position full-time, meaning Wisconsin is betting on traits, athletic development, and what the player could become with more refinement inside a Power Four strength program.

From a roster-building standpoint, the addition continues the aggressive rebuild of the running back room under position coach Jayden Everett.

The Badgers have already added transfer options like Abu Sama, Bryan Jackson, and Nate Palmer to the mix while also bringing back Darrion Dupree and adding true freshman Qwantavius Wiggins.

On paper, the room now features a variety of skill sets and considerably more depth than it had a year ago. But Pope gives Wisconsin’s staff another explosive athlete to develop, and it’s clear the staff believes there’s still more they can unlock from a player who is relatively new to playing running back.

“They understand what it’s like to compete at the highest level. And they all want to come here and help this thing get back on track,” Everett said of the running back room he’s continuing to build at Wisconsin.

“They know that playing at a university known for being an RBU is something for them that is going to change the paradigm of their careers if they commit to giving back to each other and to the team.”

And for a program trying to raise the overall athletic ceiling of its offense, this is the type of late-cycle swing that makes plenty of sense.

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The Wisconsin football program continues to build momentum on the recruiting trail.

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This time, the Badgers added another piece to the defensive front in the 2027 class with three-star defensive lineman David Hill out of Flossmoor (IL.) announcing his verbal commitment to Luke Fickell and Wisconsin.

“Proud to announce my commitment to The University of Wisconsin!” Hill wrote.

Hill chose the Badgers over an offer sheet that included Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Purdue, Kansas, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Cincinnati, California, Northwestern, West Virginia, and several others as Big Ten programs pushed heavily for the Homewood-Flossmoor standout.

Wisconsin’s defensive line coach, E.J. Whitlow, served as the lead recruiter and played a major role in building the relationship over time.

That relationship mattered.

Hill had made multiple visits to Madison before pulling the trigger, including another return trip earlier this spring as Wisconsin continued to prioritize him as one of the staff’s top defensive line targets in the cycle.

From a physical standpoint, Hill, who also wrestles, checks a lot of the boxes Wisconsin has increasingly looked for up front under Fickell.

At roughly 6-foot-3 and over 300 pounds, Hill brings a combination of size, movement skills, and raw power that gives him positional flexibility across the defensive front. While he projects primarily as an interior defensive lineman at the next level, there’s enough athleticism in his game to move him around depending on the situation and overall development of his body.

The athleticism stands out when you turn on the Hudl film.

Hill plays with a surprisingly good burst for a player carrying that kind of weight. He gets off the ball quickly, flashes heavy hands at the point of attack, and shows the ability to create disruption as both a run defender and interior pass rusher. There’s still technical refinement ahead, as there is with most defensive linemen at this stage, but the traits are evident.

Wisconsin also valued Hill’s overall upside.

He has spent time contributing on both sides of the football during his prep career and moves unusually well for a player his size. But turning the composite three-star defensive lineman into a consistent Big Ten contributor will ultimately come down to continued physical development and refinement under Brady Collins and Wisconsin’s strength staff.

The commitment continues what has become an increasingly active stretch for Wisconsin’s 2027 recruiting efforts.

The Badgers are now up to 12 verbal commitments in the cycle, led by a strong foundation of in-state prospects that allowed the staff to aggressively expand nationally before official visit season ramps up.

More recently, Wisconsin has started adding more national pieces like Connecticut defensive lineman Will Zaccagnino and Delaware defensive back DJ Davis, while also securing legacy quarterback Jack Sorgi.

Hill gives Wisconsin another developmental piece in the trenches and another recruiting win for Whitlow along the defensive line. In a sport where building and retaining your own depth has become increasingly important, especially at a position where Wisconsin wants to rotate bodies to keep players fresh, additions like Hill carry plenty of long-term value.

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The Wisconsin football program has officially added its first defensive lineman to the 2027 recruiting class.

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That player is three-star Connecticut native Will Zaccagnino, who announced his verbal commitment to Luke Fickell and the Badgers after building a strong relationship with the staff throughout the spring.

“I have been looking forward to this moment for a while,” Zaccagnino wrote. “First, I thank God for the opportunities and my family, coaches, and teammates for their support. I’m also grateful to every program and coach that recruited me through this amazing process. I am very excited to announce my commitment to the University of Wisconsin! I’m home!”

The St. Joseph High School standout chose Wisconsin over a growing list of scholarship offers that included Illinois, Michigan State, Syracuse, UConn, Duke, Army, Navy, Air Force, and several others, as Big Ten programs continued to ramp up their involvement in his recruitment.

From a roster-building standpoint, the addition makes sense.

At around 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Zaccagnino fits the type of developmental defensive line profile Wisconsin has increasingly prioritized under Fickell and position coach E.J. Whitlow — lengthy, athletic bodies with enough versatility to move around the front depending on how they physically develop over the next few years.

And the production backs up the projection.

During his junior season at St. Joseph, Zaccagnino posted 47 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, nine pass breakups, and 4.0 sacks while helping lead his program to a CIAC Class M State Championship. He also earned FCIAC All-West honors and landed on the All-Camp Team at the FBU National Combine, further cementing himself as one of the top prospects in Connecticut’s 2027 cycle.

Turn on the tape, and the first thing that stands out is the motor.

Zaccagnino plays with urgency and physicality at the point of attack. He’s quick off the ball, shows solid hand usage for a player still developing physically, and flashes the ability to set the edge against the run while still collapsing pockets as a pass rusher. There’s also some positional flexibility baked into the evaluation because of his length and frame. Depending on how his body continues to develop, he could eventually fit as a defensive end or potentially slide inside for certain fronts.

Wisconsin also valued the football background that comes with being a two-way player. Zaccagnino contributed on both the offensive and defensive lines in high school, something that often translates well when projecting developmental trench players at the next level. It speaks to Zaccagnino’s toughness, conditioning, and overall football feel — traits this staff has consistently prioritized during the recruiting process.

The commitment also continues to reinforce the direction Wisconsin’s 2027 class is trending.

The Badgers have already laid a solid foundation with eight in-state commitments, including multiple four-star prospects. At the same time, recent commitments like quarterback Jack Sorgi and defensive back DJ Davis have expanded Wisconsin’s national footprint before official visit season ramps up.

That positioning matters.

Getting work done early allows the Badgers staff to become more selective over the summer while also putting pressure on remaining priority targets as scholarship spots begin to tighten. Within that framework, Zaccagnino gives Wisconsin another developmental piece and an important early addition to the defensive front for coach Whitlow.

And for a program continuing to prioritize size, versatility, and long-term upside in the portal era, this one checks quite a few boxes.

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The Wisconsin football program knew it needed stability at center.

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So when the transfer portal opened, finding an experienced, plug-and-play option quickly moved to the top of the to-do list. That search led the Badgers to Oklahoma State transfer Austin Kawecki — and throughout spring practice, it’s becoming clear why he was such a priority.

“It’s the most important thing we did,” offensive line coach Eric Mateos said of adding Kawecki. “What’s maybe the negative of our group right now? We don’t have as many skins on the wall. We haven’t been in as many wars as maybe some other groups. To me, if you’re in that situation, you have to find a veteran center, a guy who has been in those, who can communicate, understands the calls and adjustments we’re making.

“I have a veteran center who’s been in a lot of wars, and is smart, I can just tell him. I don’t have to tell everybody else — then I don’t have other guys thinking about too many things. But I got the veteran, smart guy.”

That quote tells you just about everything you need to know about how Wisconsin views the position — and where Kawecki fits into the equation.

At 6-foot-4, 311 pounds, the Frisco, Texas native arrives as a graduate transfer with Power Four experience in the middle of an offensive line. After developing early in his career at Oklahoma State, Kawecki stepped into a full-time role for the Cowboys in 2025, starting all 12 games — 11 at center and one at right guard — while logging 710 offensive snaps.

From a production standpoint, the profile is steady with clear strengths.

According to Pro Football Focus, Kawecki posted a 63.9 overall offensive grade last season, with his performance leaning heavily toward pass protection. He earned an impressive 76.8 pass-blocking grade across 394 reps, allowing just 12 pressures and two sacks. That comes out to pressure allowed on roughly 2% of his pass-blocking reps — a mark that reflects both his consistency and awareness in the middle of the line.

The run-blocking side for Kawecki, which graded out at 58.8, remains an area for growth. But within the context of Wisconsin’s current roster build, the pass protection and communication piece carries added weight.

And through spring ball, that’s where Kawecki has separated himself.

On film, Kawecki doesn’t overwhelm you with highlight-worthy reps, but that’s kind of the point. What stands out is the consistency — clean snaps, steady pass sets, and a noticeable lack of confusion in the middle of the line. He wins more with leverage and angles than raw power, and while he’s not a dominant run blocker at this stage, the composure he brings in pass protection is exactly what this offense has been missing.

In that sense, his addition isn’t just about one position — it’s about making the entire operation function at a higher level, which it will need to if this offense is going to take the step forward it’s aiming for. That starts at a position where the Badgers haven’t had much consistency in recent years.

Wisconsin has dealt with ongoing instability at the starting center spot during the Luke Fickell era, most notably with former Cincinnati transfer Jake Renfro. Across three seasons in Madison, Renfro appeared in 17 games but missed the majority of two injury-plagued years, including significant time in both 2023 and 2025 due to lower-body injuries.

That lack of continuity showed up in stretches for Wisconsin, particularly when it came to communication and consistency up front, forcing players into roles they weren’t quite ready for or out of their natural positions.

Which brings the conversation back to Kawecki. He can help lead by example, showing younger players how to prepare like a pro while serving as a bridge to developing options the staff likes but believes need time.

Around him, the Badgers are still working through questions across the rest of the offensive line. Transfers like PJ Wilkins, who has kicked out to left tackle after previously playing guard at Ole Miss, and Kevin Heywood, a former blue-chip recruit coming off a torn ACL, are expected to handle the starting tackle spots. Inside, younger options like Emerson Mandell, who started 12 games a year ago, Colin Cubberly, and Blake Cherry are competing for roles along the interior. That level of turnover and inexperience only amplifies the importance of the center position, making it all the more critical for them to have someone steady to lean on in the middle.

Wisconsin’s staff knows it needs to take a big step forward offensively this fall after making a significant investment on that side of the ball. The Badgers moved on from position coach AJ Blazek, bringing in Mateos to reunite with Jeff Grimes. They also added experienced pieces through the portal and brought in dynamic dual-threat quarterback Colton Joseph, who can push the ball downfield and add a threat to the running game.

That kind of investment comes with expectations, and if Wisconsin is going to right the ship offensively this fall under Grimes, especially after finishing 135th nationally in total offense (253.1 yards per game), it will likely start in the middle. Because in this system, everything, from protection calls to timing in the passing game, runs through the center.

And right now, that’s exactly where Kawecki has made his presence felt.

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