A look at the Wisconsin Badgers' historic recruiting run in June

Wisconsin began official visits during the weekend of May 31 with 11 commitments in its 2025 recruiting class. When the dust settled after Hardy Watts' commitment on Monday, the Badgers now have 21 scholarship pledges, in addition to Erik Schmidt, who will have a full ride after one semester as a walk-on.

That number (10) eclipsed the 2022 class, where UW closed out nine prospects, all of whom visited officially.

BadgerBlitz.com takes a look at Wisconsin's successful recruiting run in June.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Arizona, Alabama

Commitment date: June 1

Primary recruiter: AJ Blazek

Comparison on current roster: Joe Huber

Quick thought: Powell was not necessarily someone Wisconsin expected to commit during the first weekend of official visits, let alone this summer. With that, he was a significant addition for the coaching staff, specifically AJ Blazek and Casey Rabach, who went toe-to-toe with some of the top programs in the country. UW beat out the home-state school (Arizona) and a national power (Alabama), among many others. This allowed UW to be more selective on the line, and they canceled a few officials after Powell's pledge.

Though he's listed as a tackle, Powell projects to the inside for the Badgers. Like Ryan Cory and Emerson Mandell in the 2024 class, Powell brings some nasty but also athleticism to the position. His physical presence should help the Badgers as they push towards elevating the position group back to one of the top units in the country.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Michigan State, Missouri, Penn State

Commitment date: June 6

Primary recruiter: AJ Blazek

Comparison on current roster: Jack Nelson

Quick thought: Wisconsin didn't necessarily need a third tackle in this class, but Davenport is another high-upside prospect UW couldn't pass on. Things moved quickly for the Badgers in his recruitment, though Blazek did have a prior relationship during his time at Vanderbilt. With just one season of playing tackle under his belt, it will be interesting to see the jump Davenport makes this fall. He is likely due for ratings bump in the near future.

After taking five scholarship linemen in the 2024 class, the Badgers are expected to match that number in the 2025 class. It's a position that UW doesn't want to use the portal to address moving forward, and Blazek has hit the ground running since joining the staff in January.

Like Cam Clark, I see Davenport as more of a developmental prospect for the Badgers. He'll benefit greatly from a year or two in the strength program and he continues to adjust to the position.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Michigan State, Kansas

Commitment date: June 9

Primary recruiter: Paul Haynes

Comparison on current roster: Nyzier Fourqurean

Quick thought: In Washington, Wisconsin is getting a raw prospect with an intriguing athletic profile. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, the Chicago native brings excellent size and length to the cornerback position. And as a receiver at the high school level, Washington also has the ability to track the ball and high point it in the air.

As stated above, Washington's best football is still on front of him. If he takes to technique and discipline at the position, he could have one of the highest ceilings in this cycle for the Badgers. The three-star prospect fits the mold of corners Luke Fickell and his staff targeted at Cincinnati and now at UW. The Morgan Park standout only took one official during his recruitment.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Kansas, Purdue

Commitment date: June 10

Primary recruiter: Nate Letton

Comparison on current roster: Robert Booker

Quick thought: Like it did in the 2024 class (Booker), the Badgers added another big-time pass-catching option in this cycle. And like Booker, Davis was also a basketball player until he began to take off as a Power 4 prospect on the football field. The standout from Indiana, however, may be a better blocking option in comparison, but each player fits well in Wisconsin's offensive scheme as a receiving threat.

In Davis, UW feels it got one of the better tight ends in the country. A knee injury may have stunted his recruitment a bit, but it's surprising Davis did not see his scholarship list leak outside of the Midwest.

On tape, Davis lines up as a receiver fairly often and can makes plays on the boundary. That skillset to translate well into the H-back role he is expected to take on at UW.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Minnesota

Commitment date: June 11

Primary recruiter: EJ Whitlow

Comparison on current roster: James Thompson Jr.

Quick thought: It’s all about projection and upside when looking at Pettaway, who has just one year of football experience under his belt at Middleton High School. He has excellent measurables at 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds, and the state rarely produces linemen who pair that size with plus athleticism. With that, Pettaway’s offer in February was a no-brainer, and other schools in the Big Ten shared the same opinion this winter.

From the junior tape, it’s clear that Pettaway is raw. But the production was there - 25 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions - and you also saw bursts where it clicked at the line of scrimmage. If Whitlow can load Pettaway’s toolbox, strength coach Brady Collins will likely be able to fine-tune his body after a year or two in his program. That potential combination makes Pettaway one of the more exciting commits for the Badgers in this cycle.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Oregon, Texas A&M

Commitment date: June 13

Primary recruiter: Mike Tressel

Comparison on current roster: Jaheim Thomas

Quick thought: This could turn out to be Wisconsin's most significant recruiting win in this cycle. Posa has been high atop the Badgers' board - regardless of position - since the winter. He'll begin on the inside but the four-star prospect is versatile enough to move around and rush the passer on obvious throwing downs, something UW will likely do with Thomas this fall.

As a junior, Posa racked up 133 total tackles and nine sacks. That production certainly comes through on tape, where Posa dominates the competition in New Mexico. He's also an accomplished wrestler and three-time state title winner at La Cueva High School. With that, Posa was likely atop head coach Luke Fickell's personal big board in the 2025 class.

In terms of his skillset, Posa has a great combination of size and strength. He can cover ground from sideline to sideline but also takes excellent angles to the football. The son of a head coach, Posa is fundamentally sound and, simply put, dominating at the high school level. If there's one knock it's that Posa likely doesn't have the "quick twitch" trait in comparison to other elite linebackers in this cycle. But the Badgers feel like they got a player who fits exactly what they want on and off the field.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Georgia, Miami, Purdue, Ole Miss, Missouri, Kansas

Commitment date: June 14

Primary recruiter: Kenny Guiton

Comparison on current roster: Bryson Green

Quick thought: This is a significant get for Wisconsin in the 2025 class for a number of reasons. Atop the list is the Badgers' history - or lack thereof - of attracting high-end receivers. Since 2002, UW has signed just eight four-star wide outs, two of whom - Kyan Berry-Johnson and Trech Kekahuna - came just recently under Luke Fickell's watch. If Phil Longo wants to continue to move this offense forward, Wisconsin needs to hit on talent like Hilton Jr. in each cycle.

In terms of what he brings to the table, Hilton Jr. should provide some versatility within the room. He's not exactly a true boundary, and he won't be asked to play in the slot very often. But Hilton Jr. should be able to do a little bit of everything for the Badgers. His top trait is likely the ability to catch the ball in traffic, something that can be found throughout his junior tape. Hilton Jr. isn't necessarily a true burner, but he's an advanced route runner who is able to find soft spots in the opposing defense. The NFL pedigree - his father is former Indianapolis Colt T.Y. Hilton - is also intriguing.

Finally, credit the staff for putting the Badgers in this position. Wisconsin was the most consistent school from start to finish in Hilton Jr.'s recruitment, and a lot of that can be attributed to Pat Lambert. UW's Director of Recruiting bridged the gap when Mike Brown left to Notre Dame until Kenny Guiton was up and running at UW.

Who Wisconsin beat out: West Virginia, Georgia Tech

Commitment date: June 18

Primary recruiter: EJ Whitlow

Comparison on current roster: Cade McDonald

Quick thought: Like Pettaway, it's about projection and upside when looking at Telemaque, who has the build to absolutely blow up under strength coach Brady Collins. The three-star prospect is currently 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, and Telemaque has the frame to play in the 290-pound range during his career if the staff wants him to get there. Wisconsin is essentially getting a big ball of clay with plus athleticism and a huge wingspan.

On film, Telemaque has a nice burst off the ball but will have to work on leverage and keeping a low base at the next level. He uses his long arms to track down ball carriers, but they should also be a big asset in disrupting passing windows for the Badgers. Technique-wise, there's plenty to clean up, but he has a nice motor and decent bend. There just aren't many kids who possess Wilnerson's measurables, especially defensive linemen.

This is a nice recruiting win for E.J. Whitlow and the Badgers, who entered the race late in the process. UW wrapped things up with just one visit despite West Virginia setting the bar high to start of June. Whitlow's ability to develop will be tested quite a bit with Telemaque and Pettaway, both of whom are high-upside talents, in this cycle.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Florida State, Nebraska, Tulane, UCF

Commitment date: June 22

Primary recruiter: Matt Mitchell

Comparison on current roster: John Pius

Quick thought: Luke Fickell talked about length and athleticism during Wisconsin's Signing Day last December, and Clayton is another prospect who fits that criteria. At 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds, Clayton brings intriguing measurables to the outside linebacker position. He had just three sacks as a junior, but Clayton has high upside as a true pass rusher for the Badgers.

On tape, Clayton uses his length well to disrupt the backfield while also showing some nice bend and agility on the edge. He many not be a three-down linebacker right away, but he should be able to stop the run and provide a much-needed ability to disrupt the quarterback, especially with a quick first step. I don't expect Clayton to cover much in space, but it could be something he adds to his toolbox with the Badgers. It will be interesting to see just how much weight Clayton adds to his long frame during his time at UW.

Finally, credit Matt Mitchell and Maximus Stienecker for their work here. The Badgers went into Florida and landed Clayton despite an offer from - and coming off a visit with - the Seminoles. He joins a loaded class at outside linebacker that also includes Brendan Anes and Samuel Lateju.

Who Wisconsin beat out: Michigan, Notre Dame, Boston College, Missouri

Commitment date: June 26

Primary recruiter: Matt Mitchell

Quick thought: All three phases on special teams are on the table for Schmidt, which makes him one of the more intriguing specialists UW has recruited during the Rivals.com era. The Badgers are expected to start Nathanial Vakos (junior) at kicker, Atticus Bertrams (sophomore) at punter and Gianni Smith (redshirt senior) on kickoffs this fall.

"I'm expecting to start with kickoffs during my freshman year and also compete for punting during that time," Schmidt, who will go on scholarship in the spring of 2026, said. "Vakos will be gone after my freshman year and that will leave a spot for me to compete there as well.

"They said that once I get there I would go on scholarship. For right now it's still a preferred walk-on, but I would likely go on scholarship for the second semester."

Who Wisconsin beat out: Michigan, Clemson

Commitment date: July 1

Primary recruiter: AJ. Blazek

Comparison on current roster: Joe Brunner

Quick thought: Wisconsin has won some intense battles in this cycle, but Watts' recruitment/commitment is near or at the top. Unlike other programs involved in his process, though, the Badgers only got the four-star prospect on campus once after scheduled trips to Madison in the winter and spring fell through. UW, led by assistant coach AJ Blazek and recruiting staffer Casey Rabach, certainly maximized that official on June 7. And when Michigan seemed to gain momentum after Watts' stop in Ann Arbor, the Badgers shifted the tide and earned his pledge on Monday.

Watts, a Rivals250 prospect, is now the second-highest ranked commit in Wisconsin's 2025 class, behind only Jaimier Scott. The No. 1 player in Massachusetts certainly backs that up on tape. Despite being 300-plus pounds, Watts carries that weight well and is quick with light feet. The four-star prospect explodes off the ball and has nice pad level at the line of scrimmage. Watts' top trait, however, is likely the mean streak he plays with, which should fit very well in the Badgers' locker room.

Watts is simply punishing at times and gets to the second level as a run blocker with ease. His ability to drive through defensive linemen and then engage with linebackers is special. As a pass blocker, the coveted bend and flexibility for tackles on the edge is evident, but the upside is likely highest at guard. In terms of early playing time, Watts might be the most ready when looking at the five offensive line commits in the 2025 class.

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