Inked for the Wisconsin Badgers: Three-star Cornerback Jace Arnold

With the early signing period for high school football players beginning on Dec. 21, BadgerBlitz.com dives into a closer look at the commits who have signed with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Let's take a look at Marietta (GA) High defensive back Jace Arnold, who officially signed with Wisconsin on Wednesday after committing to the program in June 2022.

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The 7th commitment in Wisconsin’s 2023 class, Arnold is a three-star prospect by Rivals.com. He is also rated the No.80 cornerback in the country and the No.76 prospect in Georgia.

Arnold committed to the Badgers over 16 other scholarship offers, including Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisville, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. His final three included UNC and Vanderbilt.

Arnold asserted himself as a talented defensive back in the South when he picked up offers from Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia (in an 18-day stretch) after his freshman season. He continued piling up SEC offers and appeared destined to play in the conference to the point where he admitted he initially overlooked the offer from the Badgers when it was presented to him.

However, persistent recruiting by defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and cornerback coach Hank Poteat convinced Arnold to take a closer look at Madison on an official visit this past June. The visit set a high standard for Arnold and his mother, showing the only child that the Badgers’ family-oriented culture was important, the location of the campus on the lake was impactful, and the football was played at a high level. Arnold committed during that official visit and announced his decision a short time later.

“I was very, very taken aback by (Luke Fickell’s hiring). I had heard some things about Coach Fickell but I had never really tapped in with him or anything. I was real like nervous and kind of like what does that mean? But when I did my research about him and got to talk to some other recruits about him, they love him. I was like, 'OK, I see how he was at Ohio State and he was doing his thing there - Cincinnati and everything.' So to get a good defensive-minded coach like that is great for me, I love it.

“He knows exactly what he wants, which is a great thing. He kept reassuring me how happy they are to have me come in and do what I do. It was some great conversations there and he's going be able to elevate the program even more."

“He's a tremendous athlete with great speed and great instincts. He's big enough and physical enough to play corner or safety, and he's also a great returner for us. His versatility stands out and he's also incredibly intelligent with a 3.9 GPA. Jace is just a smart, intelligent kid who will understand the concepts of the defense, and he'll have a great understanding of what they want to do. A great fit overall for a really good student-athlete.

“He's a great cover guy and he runs a 10.8 (seconds) in the 100 (meter dash), so he's got the speed to run with any receiver that he lines up against. He's big and physical, so he's a nice matchup. You can put him on someone's best receiver and Jace can lock him down and take him out of the game plan a little bit. And with his versatility and athletic ability, he has a chance to take it the distance if he picks it off or creates a turnover. He's a playmaker for us on that side of the ball.”

- High School Coach Richard Morgan

Listed at 5-10, Arnold would be among the shorter cornerbacks on Wisconsin’s current roster (only freshman A’Khoury Lyde is shorter at 5-9). However, Arnold drew attention from several top-tier SEC schools early because of his ability to play physically at the line of scrimmage and when the ball is in the air.

Wisconsin’s former staff viewed Arnold as a shutdown corner because of his athleticism and his coverage skills, working in lockstep with his responsibility. Just as important, the Badgers could see Arnold being an impact player on kickoff return, where he averaged over 40 yards per return his junior season. With UW losing its primary kick returner Isaac Guerendo, Arnold will get a jump on the vacancy when he enrolls in January.

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