It took some convincing from the Hilliard Bradley coaching staff and probably some help from his older brother, but Jack Pugh finally gave football a shot last summer.

The results weren't too bad.

A 6-foot-5, 245-pound junior who excelled at both tight end and defensive end for his high school in Ohio, Pugh racked up 20-plus scholarship offers during the course of his recruitment. Monday, the three-star prospect committed to Wisconsin.

"When Jack was a freshman he was already 6-foot-5 and we saw him playing basketball," Hilliard Bradley offensive coordinator Michael Owens told BadgerBlitz.com. "I just remember thinking, 'jeez, we'd love to have this kid come out and help us.'

"It took a couple years of convincing and I'm sure his brother (Northwestern tight end Trey Pugh) played into that as well. But when he came out last year, we were very, very thankful for it."