Badger Watch 2: Offensive linemen
With summer camp complete and more commitments in place, Wisconsin has a better idea of what its 2015 recruiting class will look like. Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will reanalyze UW's recruiting efforts with a position-by-position breakdown of targets to see how the Badgers will fill their 2015 cycle.
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Today, we reexamine the offensive linemen. | QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | TIGHT ENDS | WIDE RECEIVERS |
1. Last update: Badger Watch: Offensive linemen (4/29/14)
2. What's happened since April?
The month of May started off with a bang for the Badgers, as the staff added a pair of three-star offensive linemen in Jon Dietzen and David Moorman.
Dietzen, a 6-foot-5, 334-pound in-state standout from Seymour, made his commitment public at the Rivals Camp Series event in Chicago.
"Obviously Wisconsin knows how to develop linemen, but Dietzen is a guy who you don't need to do a whole lot of developing with," Midwest Recruiting Analyst Josh Helmholdt said at the event. "He has the tools to be an outstanding offensive tackle, or you could bump him inside and have him play offensive guard. That versatility is another aspect of him that I like, because I think he can play the right tackle position. There's no doubt that he can brawl with the defense on the interior with the tackles. When you combine that versatility and raw potential, he's one of those guys who in Wisconsin's system you expect to be almost a sure-fire kid."
Three days later on May 7, UW secured a pledge from Moorman, a 6-foot-5, 291-pound prospect from Michigan.
"They (UW) offered last week and throughout the process I had three elite schools, and Wisconsin was one of them," Moorman told BadgerBlitz.com. "It's been my dream ever since I was a little kid to play in the Big Ten at a school like Wisconsin. The academics and tradition at Wisconsin really stood out to me."
Moorman was recruited by Jeff Genyk, who handles the state of Michigan for Wisconsin, and position coach T.J. Woods.
"I felt really comfortable with the coaching staff at Wisconsin," Moorman said. "Coach Genyk and coach Woods made me feel like a big priority and I can't wait to play for those guys. I called coach (Gary) Andersen and he was very excited. He said I was one of their top guys on the board. Coach Andersen said he can't wait to get me back on campus to learn more about my future home."
While Dietzen and Moorman likely project as interior linemen, Sam Madden, the Badgers most recent commit at the position, appears best suited for tackle. A 6-foot-7, 328-pound four-star prospect from New Jersey, Madden added his name to UW's 2015 class after taking an unofficial visit in mid-June.
"He (Madden) was offered in the spring of his sophomore year and his cousin (John Moffitt) was an All-American there, so he's had big interest in them from Day 1," Rob Davis, the head coach at Barnegat High School, told BadgerBlitz.com. "He knew a lot about them before the recruiting process even started. He did a lot of research on them and he loves the coaching staff. He got a chance to meet with Gary Andersen twice and it just felt like home for him. His father said it just felt right and he wanted to commit. I really think Wisconsin was on top throughout."
Since the last update, Grant Newsome (Michigan), Reno Rosene (Duke), Zach Giella (Clemson) and Noah Listermann (Michigan State) committed to other schools. All four held a scholarship from Wisconsin. Offensive guard James Daniels, who visited unofficially this spring and held an offer from UW, is also set to choose from Ohio State, Iowa and Alabama.
3. What happens next?
Wisconsin is currently sitting well at the position and the staff will likely look to add one more true tackle to their class this fall. Atop the wish list is Kevin Estes, a 6-foot-6, 273-pound senior from San Marcos High School in California, who picked up an offer from the Badgers in May.
"This summer we plan on staying at home and maybe just doing a few camps," Estes told BadgerBlitz.com. "My mom wants to use one of my official visits on Wisconsin. I know they have one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation with great academics. Definitely a place I'll get out to."
Outside of Estes, the staff will continue to pursue Pat Allen, Brendan Loftus, Darrin Paulo and Jack Dreyer, among other linemen.
4. Class Prediction:
In the 2014 cycle, Wisconsin was close to landing Kolton Miller, a talented tackle from California who eventually signed with UCLA. This year, I think the staff will be able to get their man in Estes, who I predict will join Deitzen, Moorman and Madden in UW's 2015 class.
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