Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will be bringing you snapshots for each recruited position, covering the targets who are legitimate prospects on Wisconsin's board in the 2021 class. We will discuss the candidates who are most interested in the Badgers, as well as those who are considered long shots to commit to UW.
As always, this is just a snapshot in time and things remain fluid. Additional offered targets will appear over the next few months and some recruits will inevitably choose other colleges.
Today, we continue with an early look at the offensive linemen.
Quick Breakdown
On the interior, the group welcomed back Kayden Lyles, who played defensive end this past fall. He was joined this spring by Jason Erdmann, Josh Seltzner and David Moorman as options in the two-deep at guard for position coach Joe Rudolph. Two-year starter Tyler Biadasz is back at center for what could be his final season in Madison. UW signed Joe Tippmann in the 2019 class and already has commitments from Dylan Barrett and Tanor Bortolini in the following cycle.
Though he missed all of spring camp, Cole Van Lanen has starting experience on the left side and is penciled in to start there. Tyler Beach and Logan Bruss figure to battle for the starting job opposite, though Bruss has took snaps at guard this spring. Aaron Vopal a former defensive end, was brought over for depth this spring, and Rudolph will add four-star Logan Brown to the mix this summer. Trey Wedig, Ben Barten and Jack Nelson are committed in the 2020 cycle, with JP Benzschawel locked in early in the 2021 class.
Top Targets
With his strong family connections to the University of Wisconsin, the question surrounding JP Benzschawel's recruitment was more "when" than "if" in relation to the Badgers' football program.
That answer came in February when the sophomore offensive tackle from Grafton (WI) High School committed to UW. In doing so, he became pledge No. 1 for head coach Paul Chryst in the 2021 class.
"Coach Chryst and Coach (Chris) Haering reached out to me about two weeks ago and said they wanted to come by because they were going to be in the area and making a few stops," Grafton coach Jim Norris told BadgerBlitz.com. "I believe one of the stops was to Waukesha North to see the receiver (Chimere Dike) they have there. Obviously with both brothers playing at Wisconsin, the coaches knew who JP was and knew the potential that he had. Really with that first visit, they wanted to see what kind of person JP was and how he handled himself in the hallway, stuff like that.
"And then this past week, Coach Haering and Coach (Joe) Rudolph were trying to get down here but we had that crazy weather. They made it here on Friday and I let JP know that they wanted to offer. He just asked if this was serious and if I was being real with him. So he obviously accepted and committed on the spot, and it was just great to see how happy he was in that moment. It was a great moment for the family and just awesome for JP to get that early nod from Wisconsin."
Benzschawel is a familiar name around Camp Randall Stadium. Older brothers Beau (former offensive guard) and Luke (junior tight end) are part of the legacy, as is JP's father, Scott, and uncle, Eric, who both played for Wisconsin in the 1980s.
