Wisconsin football lands commitment from 2027 safety Dustin Roach
Catholic Memorial safety Dustin Roach commits to Wisconsin, giving the Badgers their third in-state prospect in the 2027 recruiting cycle.
The Wisconsin football program added another in-state piece to its 2027 recruiting class, continuing an early trend that says plenty about how this staff wants to build moving forward.
Catholic Memorial safety Dustin Roach announced his commitment to the Badgers over offers from Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan, giving Wisconsin its third pledge in the 2027 cycle — and its third from inside the state.
“I’m staying home!! 🦡🏡,” Roach wrote.
Roach, a Waukesha (Wis.) native, joins offensive lineman Ethan McIntosh (Verona) and tight end Korz Loken (Iola) as the foundation of what’s shaping up to be a talent-rich in-state class.
For safeties coach Jack Cooper, this was a nice win.
Cooper served as Roach’s lead recruiter and recently made an in-home visit that helped seal the decision. Roach was also in Madison for Junior Day, continuing to build familiarity with the program as Wisconsin pushes to lock down the state’s best talent early in the recruiting cycle.
Roach is currently unranked by the national recruiting services, but the on-field production at Catholic Memorial jumps off the page.
As a junior, Roach totaled 35 tackles, five interceptions, eight pass breakups, and two defensive touchdowns. That followed a sophomore season in which he intercepted seven passes — three of which he returned for scores. He’s a true ball hawk with a knack for turning takeaways into points, something that shows up consistently on film.
What stands out most is how Roach plays the game in space.
He can cover a lot of ground, appears to be a fluid athlete, and looks comfortable at safety. Roach has good closing speed, breaks decisively on the ball, and has the instincts you want patrolling the secondary.
There’s development ahead — and that’s part of the appeal.
It’s hard to project how Roach would look playing in the box right now, and his frame still has room to fill out. Early on, adding physicality as a tackler will be an area for growth. But the raw tools are there, and Wisconsin is betting on what he can become rather than just what he is.
He’s also not just a defensive piece.
On offense, Roach caught 28 passes for 727 yards and eight touchdowns as a wide receiver, reinforcing the overall athletic profile.
This fits into a larger trend Wisconsin has leaned into.
Wisconsin and Luke Fickell have a chance to make the 2027 in-state class a real turning point. The Badgers are already involved with high-end local prospects like four-star offensive tackle Cole Reiter, running back Kingston Allen, Hunter Mallinger and Reece Mallinger on the offensive line, along with edge rusher Isaac Miller. The staff has begun locking in a handful of foundational pieces that give the coaching staff flexibility.
The first three recruiting cycles since Fickell arrived in Madison haven’t produced the level of in-state momentum Wisconsin fans are accustomed to seeing. The Badgers have missed on a handful of local recruits, and the results on the field haven’t helped smooth over that frustration.
The hope is that investing in players who genuinely want to be at Wisconsin, who understand what the program represents, and who are willing to stay and develop can begin to swing that pendulum back. If that turns into wins down the road, it’s also the kind of foundation that can rebuild trust and earn some goodwill with the fanbase along the way.
For now, Roach represents exactly what Wisconsin wants out of the state: length, instincts, athleticism, and upside. He’s staying home. And Roach gives the Badgers another piece to build around as they continue stacking an in-state class that looks intentional rather than opportunistic.
We appreciate you taking the time to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. Your support means the world to us and has helped us become a leading independent source for Wisconsin Badgers coverage.
You can also follow Site Publisher Dillon Graff at @DillonGraff on X.