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Better Know a Badger: Aaron Vopal

The Wisconsin Badgers will welcome their 2017 signing class to campus in mid-June, so BadgerBlitz.com will be checking in with the team's incoming freshmen as they make the jump from being high school prospects to a Wisconsin student-athlete.

Aaron Vopal, a three-star defensive end from De Pere, Wis., was one of the first prospects to commit to UW in this class, and he's up first in our question and answer series.

Aaron Vopal
Aaron Vopal (Rivals.com)
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So how are things going for you now that National Signing Day is in the rear-view mirror? What's it feel like to be so close to starting your college career with the Badgers?

Aaron Vopal: It really puts things into perspective. You know where you’re going, there’s a set destination, and you’ve got to go get ready to do what you can to help the program in any way possible. With the end of signing day, it’s kind of like a weight off the back. It’s time to buckle down, make sure that when you get there you’re ready, and when you get there you’re on par with what they’re expecting you to come in at.

So was it a relief to finally make it official and sign your letter of intent? I know you had to wait a while since you committed to UW's recruiting class so early in the process.

AV: Yeah, I mean obviously nothing is certain but I had a good relationship with all of the coaches and going in to signing day it was really just the next step for me. I think I committed over a year ago at that point, so it was a long time coming but it was a great day.

Did you have an idea of what were you were looking for in a school when you started to realize playing Division I football was going to be an option for you? And as an in-state recruit were the Badgers always going to be on your mind one way or the other?

AV: Actually yeah, I was lucky enough to have a great high school coach who kind of sat down with me before the whole process started. He asked me and said ‘Hey, some coaches are going to come in and visit me and talk about you. And I want to know for your sake what’s the school that if they offered you, they would be your top school – no matter who else comes in.’ And I told him Wisconsin – if they offer, that’s my number one. I don’t care who else offers. That’s the one I wanted.

So once UW pulled the trigger and offered you, that was going to wrap things up even if you didn't think you'd commit early on in the process?

AV: A little bit like that. But once I got to go to junior day and meet the coaches more during spring visits and at the spring game, camps in the summer, there’s just a feeling you get where it’s like ‘This is where I want to be.’ I didn’t really get that feeling anywhere else. Maybe that’s because it’s home. It’s surrounded by my entire childhood.

Was there anything that surprised you about the whole recruiting process as it started to unfold? Or did you have some help along the way as far as what to expect when talking with coaches and everything that goes along with that?

AV: It’s kind of odd but I was high school basketball teammates with Brevin Pritzl, so I kind of got an outside look in at how he handled all of that stuff. How college coaches would come to watch our open gyms and practices and see him play and they kind of saw how he handled it and took some notes. He was a good example – someone who really knew what he was doing.

If you could give some advice to teammates of yours or other high school players out there who might get recruited down the road, what do you think they should know that would make the whole process easier for them?

AV: Make sure you have an idea of where you would like to go. Have an understanding of who you are, personality wise. Because a big part of choosing a school that people forget is whether you’re going to like going to school there. All the coaches have been very adamant about saying ‘You’re not just playing football, you’re going to school.’ That’s why I like Madison as well is because I’m familiar with the football program but I’m also familiar with the academics. It’s a state school and a lot of top people from my class will go there and they love it and they have nothing but good things to say about the school and their academics.

As someone who committed really early in the process, do you think you would have taken advantage of an early signing period to wrap things up quicker if it had been an option for you - now that they're adding one for upcoming recruiting classes?

AV: It’s tough for me to say because to be honest this is one of the first times I’ve really thought about that whole thing. I read something on my Twitter about it, but I didn’t really think about it because I’m focused on my academics and everything before I show up in the summer. I could see it being a benefit to guys who do commit early, I just don’t know the specifics of it.

What are you looking most excited about now that moving to campus and officially becoming part of the team is just a few weeks away?

AV: I’m looking forward to getting down there and starting to get working. I know each day is going to be an opportunity to get better. I think I’m just excited to get in the weight room, get on the practice field, get out there and learn what I can. Obviously it’s not all going to come right away, there’s a learning curve. But I’m excited to just enjoy the process of getting better.

Is there anything that you'd want Badger fans to know about you now that your college career at Wisconsin is about to start?

AV: I just want people to know that I’m exicted to be there. As a kid I’d wake up on Saturday and watch the Badgers with my dad and my brothers. I think I really started paying attention during that Rose Bowl stint with guys like Scott Tolzien to Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt, James White. You watch that with starts in your eyes – that’s really when you kind of form the dream and realize that if I keep working maybe I can end up there some day. And now that I have that opportunity, it’s time to do what I can to make it work.

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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.

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