Final positional recruit snapshot: 2019 wide receivers
With college football's early signing period on the horizon (Dec. 19), BadgerBlitz.com will be bringing you final snapshots for each recruited position, covering the targets who are committed and still remaining on Wisconsin's board in the 2019 class.
Today, we continue with a look at the wide receivers.
Quick Position Breakdown
Receivers coach Ted Gilmore is overseeing one of the youngest position groups on the current roster after the Badgers signed four scholarship receivers at this time last year. This spring, Wisconsin is expected to return its entire group, led by veterans A.J. Taylor, Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor. With that depth, UW will likely sign just one scholarship wide out this month, three-star Stephan Bracey, though preferred walk-on commit Cameron Phillips is about as good as it gets in that category.
Player | Eligibility | Player (continued) | Eligibility |
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Redshirt sophomore |
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Junior |
Sophomore |
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Redshirt junior |
Redshirt freshman |
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Redshirt junior |
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Redshirt junior |
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Redshirt sophomore |
Redshirt freshman |
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Redshirt freshman |
Class of 2019 WR needs: 1 | Class of 2019 WR commits: 1
Though the total number is small, wide receiver saw a good amount of transition during the course of the 2019 recruiting cycle. Wisconsin hit early on Nolan Groulx, but the four-star eventually flipped to Wake Forest. The same happened to Marcus Graham, who committed to UW this summer before he backed away in favor of Stanford.
But then it was Wisconsin's turn to play the flip card. After a strong senior season, Stephan Bracey picked up strong interest from the Badgers, but ultimately committed to Western Michigan. Just days later, though, a scholarship came through that was too good to pass on.
"Wisconsin developed a great relationship with Stephan," East Kentwood (MI) coach Marty Martens told BadgerBlitz.com. "When they went up there, that sealed the deal for the family if the opportunity arose. The university, the staff, the players and the tradition of Wisconsin was second to none. More importantly, the relationship they made with his family was huge. They wanted to get to know him as a person and they did that better than any other school. The Bracey family was going to be a great fit for the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin was going to be a great fit for the Bracey family.
"In the back of his mind, his dream school was Wisconsin after that visit. When that offer came through, it wasn't an easy decision. He's a loyal kid and I know that was tough for him."
In Bracey, 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, Gilmore is getting another speedster to add to his film room.
"Stephan is an instinctive, explosive and dynamic football player," Martens said. "I've never been around anyone like him in my 30 years of coaching. He has really great vision and can see holes and lanes before they open up. He already knows when stuff is going to take place on the field and he's made a lot of people look foolish this year.
"He can move around and play a few different spots. He's run 10.89 (seconds) in the 100-meter dash and a 4.34-second (40-yard dash) at the Northwestern combine this past summer. He's a kid who can get away from press coverage because of his speed. Because he's dynamic, he'll be able to help them in a number of ways."
A 6-foot-1, 183-pound prospect, Phillips played his first three prep seasons at Westerville Central High School in Ohio before transferring to powerhouse IMG Academy in Florida. He missed all of his senior season with a leg injury, a big reason most of his offers evaporated. The relationship he built early with Joe Rudolph and Gilmore worked out well for the Badgers when Phillips reevaluated his options this month.
What's left to accomplish?
With Bracey and Phillips, UW is likely set unless Gilmore extends a late offer to a prospect like Jake Bailey, Mohamed Toure or Tre'Von Morgan, all of whom are on the Badgers' radar.