Badgers added 2020 wide receiver Devin Chandler on Signing Day

Wisconsin added a third wide receiver commit to its 2020 class on Wednesday when Devin Chandler announced his decision to play for the Badgers.

Chandler, a two-star recruit from Charlotte, N.C. (Hough), played football at the same high school that produced current UW defensive lineman Gio Paez.

According to Rivals.com, Chandler held offers from Maryland, Virginia, N.C. State, Duke and Illinois, among others. He announced on Twitter that Wisconsin offered just a few weeks ago on Nov. 23.

Chandler committed to the Badgers on Signing Day over seven other offers. His other favorites were Maryland and Virginia, but he had other offers from Duke, Illinois and North Carolina State.

Wisconsin sat in a good spot with the receivers in its 2020 class with the early commitment of Waukesha (Wis.) North’s Chimere Dike and Collierville (TN) St. George’s Isaac Smith, so good that Badgers wide receiver coach Ted Gilmore wasn’t planning on taking any more pass catchers. But as someone who has an eye for finding under-the-radar talent and developing them, Gilmore saw Chandler’s tape and had to take a closer look.

Transferring from Arlington (Tenn.) to Cornelius (N.C.) Hough prior to his junior year likely slowled the start to his recruiting process, but Chandler jumped right into a talent-rich school by catching nine touchdown passes in his first eight games. That grabbed the attention of N.C. State and former Wisconsin defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, who gave him his first Power 5 scholarship offer in October. That scholarship opened the floodgates, as Duke and Illinois offered the same day in late October and Duke in early November. Having been familiar with Hough High after recruiting former commit Nolan Groux from the school, Gilmore got a hold of Chandler’s tape and was impressed. Crunching the numbers, the Badgers found available room in the class and offered Chandler in late November.

What was once a low-key recruitment turned into a busy December. Chandler took official visits to Maryland, Wisconsin and Virginia in a compacted time frame this month so he could make his decision during the early signing period. Those trips led him to picking Wisconsin.

A first-team all-region selection, Chandler’s numbers are solid for a high school receiver (40 receptions, 712 yards, 11 touchdowns). When one realizes that he put up some of numbers playing three of the top five-ranked programs in the largest 4-A classification in the state, those numbers take on a whole new meaning. His numbers were even better as a senior (50 catches, 905 yards, 14 TDs) and so was his film.

Chandler’s highlights are a showcase in how receivers should play in one-on-one coverage. The new UW signee does a great job elevating over cornerbacks and catching the ball with his hands. He can make the toughest catches look easy, contorting his body and twisting in the air to bring down the catch. He explodes off the line and his double moves at full speed make it near impossible for high school defensive backs to keep up.

Chandler has great receiver size at 6-foot-2 and a frame that can carry more weight. His top-end speed (4.54 40-yard dash) could be quickened but that should come once he gets into a college weight program. It’s no wonder Gilmore became infatuated with him, as there is a lot to like with this pick-up.