With the early signing period for high school football players beginning on Dec. 18, BadgerBlitz.com dives into a closer look at the commits who have signed with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Let's take a look at defensive end James Thompson, who officially signed with Wisconsin on Wednesday.

The 15th commitment in Wisconsin’s 2020 class, Thompson is a three-star prospect by Rivals.com.

Thompson committed to the Badgers over eight other scholarship offers, including a Power-Five offer from Iowa State. He was also receiving interest from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

How big Thompson’s recruitment could have become will remain a mystery, considering a leg injury caused him to miss most of his junior season and prevented many Power 5 schools from showing heavy interest. Wisconsin was the exception. With Thompson’s athleticism giving the appearance that he could play offensive or defensive line and having recorded a 4.26 shuttle time post injury, Wisconsin defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield became the point man and started aggressively recruiting Thompson mid-summer.

“They have been trying to get me up there for a visit and I plan to take my official the weekend of Sept. 7 (UW’s home opener),” Thompson told BadgerBlitz.com in July. “… Coach Breckterfield said I was really athletic and have a lot of potential to become a great football player.”

Heading to his UW official admitting that there weren’t many schools who could beat out the Badgers, Thompson was floored by the city, the atmosphere, the passionate fan base, how Wisconsin played and the culture of the program. After conferring with his family and coaches, Thompson committed on the visit.

“Wisconsin was the right fit for James because they were really the first big program that trusted their evaluation and said, ‘let's go out and get this kid.’ Obviously, they are a school that produces top talent on the offensive and defensive line. So that, along with the prestige of the university, was a big sell for James. He's been patiently waiting for that kind of opportunity.

“James has always known his worth and we stressed to him that he's a really good football player, he just needed to be patient. So then going on the visit and being around Coach Breckterfield, there was a comfort level there and he just loved the place.”

-Roger Bacon defensive coordinator Solomon Tentman told BadgerBlitz.com

“He has a really thick and explosive lower body, but if you look at his upper body, he hasn't really filled out yet. He can easily put on another 30 to 40 pounds without struggling and I'm excited to see that maturation process with James. Wisconsin likes his upside and that he's pretty raw. But, really, his explosiveness and grit pops on film.”

-Tentman to BadgerBlitz.com

The offer list is misleading for Thompson, who deserves a ton of credit for the work he put in following his leg fracture to get himself back to 100 percent. There’s a lot of raw characteristics with Thompson that will need to be refined but there’s a ton of upside with him. Not only is he one of the younger players in his class, according to Tentman, Thompson continues to grow in height and put on weight.

“This kid is not done growing,” Tentman said. “When I first got to the school and started working with him, James was about 6-3 and 185 pounds. We went down to a camp together and I watched him in drills around that time. I told his parents that day, 'you have a special kid on your hands, just be patient.'

A two-year captain, Thompson is lauded for his work ethic on and off the field and his academic prowess. Those things don’t guarantee success at the college level, but they are a pretty good place to start.