Badger Brothers: A look at siblings who played for Wisconsin

Nolan Rucci, the No. 29 prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, is set to make his commitment Tuesday evening. Will the four-star offensive lineman join his older brother, Hayden Rucci, at Wisconsin, or will he land at Penn State, Clemson, Michigan or Notre Dame?

"Certainly it's a factor with Hayden being at Wisconsin because we have a really good relationship," Nolan Rucci told BadgerBlitz.com. "For his last season in high school we played next to each other and that was great. We like to work together a lot and having him there and playing together is definitely something I would enjoy doing again. It factors into my decision and he's recruiting me hard. I'm appreciative of that."

With another brother tandem possibly headed to UW, BadgerBlitz.com took a look at siblings who have played for the Badgers during the Rivals.com era, which dates back to 2002.

Probably the first family that comes to mind when thinking of brothers who have played for Wisconsin, the Watts - J.J., Derek and T.J. - had a huge impact on the program. J.J. began his career at Central Michigan but transferred to UW in 2008. Derek and T.J. were full scholarship members from the 2011 and 2013 recruiting classes, respectively. All three are on NFL rosters this fall.

The Benzschawels will add a third player to Wisconsin's roster next summer after JP signs in the 2021 recruiting class. Before him, Beau was a multi-year starter on the offensive line, while Luke had his career cut short due to injuries. Additionally, Scott Benzschawel, the father to all three, played at Wisconsin from 1983-87.

The Chenal brothers, John and Leo, figure to be key contributors when Wisconsin takes the field next. A walk-on fullback, John quickly earned a scholarship after one year with the program. Leo, a three-star prospect out of high school, was UW's first commit in the 2019 recruiting class. He will likely start at middle linebacker as a sophomore.

Both Armstrong brothers walked on at Wisconsin. And while Thad's stint on the roster was brief, Ethan earned a scholarship as a junior and started all 27 games over his final two seasons in Madison. The linebacker helped Wisconsin win Big Ten titles in 2011 and 2012.

The grandsons of athletic director Barry Alvarez, Joe and Jake Ferguson both attended nearby Madison Memorial High School. A prep quarterback who walked on at UW, Joe played in 58 career games. Jake was a heavily-recruited tight end in the 2017 class who is preparing for his redshirt junior season. The former three-star prospect will likely have an opportunity to play in the NFL in 2021.

Vince Biegel was a heralded linebacker out of Wisconsin Rapids who competed in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He played in 54 games with 40 starts before his selection by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Hayden Biegel was not as heavily recruited out of high school and originally accepted a greyshirt offer from UW. Injuries cut his collegiate career short.

Twins Michael and Marcus Trotter were members of Wisconsin's 2011 recruiting class - Michael as a full scholarship member and Marcus as a preferred walk-on. In the end, though, Marcus earned a scholarship and had an excellent final season as a Badger, playing in 13 games with 12 starts at inside linebacker.

The sons of Kevin Lyles, who played for Wisconsin from 1993 to 1996, Kare' and Kayden both committed to the Badgers while at Saguaro High School in Arizona. Kare', a quarterback who enrolled early, transferred to Scottsdale Community College and then to Southern Illinois. Kayden, who has battled injuries during his time in Madison, has a chance to start at center this winter or spring.

The Sanborn brothers should have one season together next fall after Bryan signs with Wisconsin in the 2021 recruiting class. Jack, who started as a sophomore last fall, led UW with 80 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks in 2019. Bryan chose the Badgers last December over scholarships from Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Vanderbilt and Virginia, among others. Both were placed on the Butkus Award watch list in July.

Ethan Hemer is one of Wisconsin's better preferred walk-on stories over the last 20 years. The defensive lineman earned four letters for the Badgers and was a multi-year starter. His younger brother, Benjamin, followed the same path but was only with the program for a short time.

Riki Kodanko, a former walk-on, played for the Badgers from 2010-2012. His younger brother, Kerry, chose the same path at Wisconsin as a member of the 2020 recruiting class. He picked UW over scholarships from Air Force, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota and Western Illinois.

Bobby Dunn is currently a graduate assistant at Wisconsin, but he did have a short stint at quarterback for the Badgers in the spring practice of 2016. Jack Dunn is former walk-on who is preparing for his final season in Madison. Primarily used as a punt returner, Dunn's role as a receiver may expand this winter or spring.

Both Hampton brothers walked on at Wisconsin. Zach enjoyed a five-year career with the Badgers and contributed on special teams and in the defensive backfield. Adam's time on the roster was shorter in comparison.

Pete played for Wisconsin in the 1990s and finished his career as UW's career tackles leader (451). Joe, a member of the 2002 class, committed to the Badgers over offers from Colorado State and Wyoming. At UW, he transitioned into a defensive end and played in 50 career games for the Badgers.

Rivals.com doesn't have a recruiting profile for Jim Leonhard, a member of the 2001 recruiting class. His story at Wisconsin, both as a player and coach, is well documented. His younger brother, Tyler, walked on at UW but soon transferred to UW-La Crosse. During his prep career, Tyler Leonhard scored 74 touchdowns with over 5,500 all-purpose yards.