The Wisconsin Badgers officially added three-star wide receiver A.J. Abbott to their 2018 recruiting class Thursday. Here's what Abbott's commitment means for head coach Paul Chryst moving forward.
Skillset
A.J. Abbott's skillset was on full display at Wisconsin's June 10 camp, a performance that led to an offer for the three-star prospect. At 6-foot-2 and 181 pounds, Abbott blazed a 4.49-second 40-yard dash in the front of the coaches, something that will translate well to the next level.
"They really wanted to see A.J.'s 40-yard dash time and how he was able to run in person," West Bloomfield (MI) head coach Ron Bellamy told BadgerBlitz.com. "That was the thing that coach (Ted) Gilmore and I had discussed. He asked me what I thought A.J. would run and I told him we were clocking him a 4.4.
"There were some other things A.J. needed to work on before camp season, but A.J. busted his butt and he was able to show out at camp. And he was good enough to get a scholarship from Wisconsin."
As a junior, Abbott finished with 46 catches for 906 yards and six touchdowns at Northville High School. On that film, you see a lot bubble screens, something Chryst certainly isn't shy about dialing up during the course of a game. He's also a long strider who can break tackles and take the ball to the house. Abbott figures to be a vertical threat for the Badgers, but his proven ability in the screen and short passing game is intriguing.
"A.J. is a freakish athlete and, to be honest, something that Wisconsin has been missing for a while," Bellamy said. "A.J. is a longer guy at 6-foot-2 who can jump out of the gym, catch the ball and be a vertical threat. He's just a great pass catcher and those are some things Wisconsin hasn't had that some of the other Big Ten schools have had over the years."
