BadgerBlitz.com - Dust settles on first camp

June 20, 2012

Jon McNamara
BadgerBlitz.com Publisher

Follow @McNamaraRivals

With Wisconsin's first summer camp now in the books, BadgerBlitz.com provides a quick summary of the important events and the implications it will have on the Badger football program.

2013 class

With only a handful of scholarships remaining in the 2013 class, there was a bit more activity than expected when the dust settled Tuesday.

Sunday, Sam Raridon worked under the watchful of eye line coach Charlie Partridge and by mid-afternoon, the tackle from Iowa was offered a full scholarship..

"I was kind of surprised that I got the news so soon, because I thought they would congregate and look at film," Raridon said. "But it was pretty quick right after camp."

The 6-foot-3, 256-pound prospect has offers from Iowa and Wisconsin, with strong interest coming from Nebraska.

On the other side of the ball, offensive tackle David Knevel was arguably the top performer at the entire camp.

The 6-foot-8, 274-pound tackle from Brantford (ON) Pauline Johnson Collegiate looked excellent Sunday and received a good deal of one-on-one time with line coach Mike Markuson.

By the end of the day, Knevel had a scholarship opportunity from the Badgers.

"Yes Wisconsin did offer," Knevel said. "I really like them, but was looking to decide in a few months.

"I'm heading to Wake Forest on the 15th of July."

And while one tackle received an offer, another gave a verbal commitment to Wisconsin.

In-state prospect Hayden Biegel, whose older brother, Vince, stopped in to see him Sunday, accepted Wisconsin's grayshirt offer.

The 6-foot-6, 255-pound tackle chose UW over full rides from Iowa, Michigan State and Illinois, among others. He is expected to sign with Wisconsin and then join the program in the spring of 2014.

While Biegel's commitment to the Badgers was expected, Jazz Peavy's exciting day was a bit more of a surprise.

After blazing a 40-yard dash in front a handful of UW coaches, Peavy, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound in-state receiver from Kenosha Tremper, worked with Zach Azzanni and a group of three other wide outs.

When drills concluded, head coach Bret Bielema extended a full scholarship offer that Peavy quickly accepted..

"Coach said you can play wide receiver or defensive back," Peavy said. "We feel you can do both and be effective with both. So it depends on which I would like to do now. And I couldn't decide on that one."

Peavy's future position may very well depend on Matt Harris's decision. The 6-foot, 170-pound athlete from Illinois also came away with an offer after his camp performance.

"I went to the Wisconsin one day camp on Sunday and they offered me after the camp," Harris said. "I worked out at the Wisconsin camp at cornerback and they are offering me as a cornerback prospect. The Wisconsin coaches said they like my versatility and they think I would make a really good cornerback prospect for them."

Rob Wheelwright, Wisconsin's No. 1 target at wide receiver, is still fully committed to UW, but the staff clearly felt Peavy was too valuable to pass on.

2014 class

Michigan quarterback Chance Stewart may have very well stepped into the No. 1 quarterback spot for Wisconsin in 2014.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pound prospect was arguably the top quarterback at camp and came away with a full ride front Wisconsin.

"I threw a little bit in the morning, (but) I didn't throw as well as I wanted to," Stewart told BadgerBlitz.com Sunday night. "But then I threw the ball a lot better (in the afternoon), and a guy came up and told me 'Hey, coach Bielema wants to see you at 4:45.' So I went up to the office, talked to him for about 15 minutes, and then left with a scholarship."

While Stewart was the top quarterback, Jeff Jones was probably the top running. And as expected, the 6-foot, 190-pound prospect from Minneapolis was offered by Wisconsin.

The Badgers join Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan State and Illinois on Jones' offer sheet.

After a three-day camp stop, in-state tackle Jaden Gault received some good news before he made the short trip back to Monona Grove.

"Ecstatic," Gault said about the offer from his home school. "I have so much respect for their program. "The coaches said they just like my flexibility, my ability to be coached up and size for my age."

Gault, who recently picked up an offer from Nebraska, would look great on the line next to George Panos, UW's first verbal in the 2014 class.

"Not really," Gault said about a quick commitment. "Coach Bielema said it's early but no rush."

Though he didn't run the 40 or shuttle Sunday, Wisconsin's still felt confident enough to offer linebacker Clifton Garrett the following day.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound standout from Illinois has to clean up his grades, but that hasn't stopped schools such as Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan State, among others, from offering.

Five to watch this weekend

1) Quarterback John O'Korn: Wisconsin still has a hole to fill at quarterback in 2013. The Florida prospect could be next in line for an offer.

2) Lineman Jamarco Jones: There's a very good chance the 2014 tackle leaves with an offer.

3) Defensive tackle Craig Evans: The in-state standout may be the top overall prospect in Wisconsin's 2014 in-state class.

4) Quarterback Brogan Roback: The Ohio signal caller will get one more chance to impress the coaching staff.

5) Cass Tech football team: A number of Cass Tech prospects, including Deon Drake, Gary Hosey and Kenton Gibbs are expected on campus.

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