MADISON, Wis. – A once-in-a-generation pandemic has shuttered recruiting since the spring, canceling unofficial campus visits, in-person recruiting trips, game-day experiences and eliminating the important official visits for prospects to get a truly close look at a program.
That didn’t stop the Badgers from getting creative with online recruiting and convincing 21 players (11 defense and 10 offense) who could become big parts of the future success of the Wisconsin program.
“We were really excited about the class,” offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph said Monday. “We thought they really bonded well. What they liked about Wisconsin was what we like about Wisconsin, and it’s what we like about them. Some of the core attributes, some of the things that drew them in and made this place interesting to them were the same reasons we were.
“I remember going to some of those places and saying, man, you’re a guy that everything you do reminds me of someone who would be ultra-successful in our program. It’s kind of cool that they saw it the same way.”
“That’s a pretty good (offensive) group you’ve got rolling in here. I think it’s got all the pieces to put together for those guys to grow together and grow up.”
It’s the third straight year Wisconsin football’s signing class has reached a new level in the recruiting rankings. After inking back-to-back top-30 recruiting classes for the first time, Wisconsin’s 2021 class currently ranks No.15, the highest ranking in the modern era of internet recruiting.
“Right now, it means we’ve had three great years and we need to continue,” defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “We had great success on the field, which was helping to translate into great recruiting. Now, we have to take the talent that we have, continue to develop it and make sure that production shows up on the field at this level.
“We’re pleased with who we have. We feel we do have the right guys on this team. That’s always been a strength of ours is identifying not only talent but talent that fits with what we do and how we do it and leadership that we ask our players to provide. It always starts there.”
Both Leonhard and Rudolph went in-depth on most of the 21 prospects Wisconsin signed in its 2021 class (receiver Markus Allen and safety Braelon Allen had yet to sign at the time of the interview). Below are the coordinators’ comments.
DEFENSE - JIM LEONHARD
Very talented in-state kid we see as an outside linebacker. Really popped in his junior year. Explosive player coming off the edge. We love what he could in the pass-rush game and just continuing growing into his body. The athleticism is quite high and that’s what’s got us very excited about him.
Talented corner, good size, very, very fast. Talented physical kid. Very focused and locked in. Comes from a military family and you could tell that’s worn off. Highly self-motivated and that’s the first thing that jumps out, outside the physical tools he has. Biggest thing to me, two-time champion, back-to-back state championships. Those are the type of kids you want in your program to continue to develop that wining culture.
We love his versatility. See him as an outside linebacker kind of plus. We think he can do a little bit more than that position and provide some flexibility for us. Great physicality with what he has shown in high school. As he grows into his body, it’s going to be a lot of fun to put him into different positions.
We see a true inside linebacker before us. Love his physicality, his fire, his passion and how he plays. His father is a head coach so he’s around ball 24/7. Locked in, very focused and motivated kid we think we’re getting there.
Love his length, love his size, speed and competitiveness. Probably has been the most consistent playmaker, in my opinion, we’ve recruited in a little while. I’m excited for the ways we can use him and move him around and get him around the football, as far as the secondary goes.
Love him as a d-lineman. He fits what we do, right mentality. He can get after people. Very physicality impressive at the high level and we’re looking forward to develop his skills and continue to push what we can ask our defensive line to do. You turn on the tape and everything we ask our guys to do, he’s putting on tape for you.
Extremely talented. His twitch off the ball, his pass rush ability, the physicality that he plays with, just playing at a different speed at the high school level than anyone could match. Once again, multi-championships, a great leader on his team and well respected by everyone that we talk to in the school.
We feel like he could play any backer position. I would say initially inside backer. With his skillset, we feel like he could play either. You look off the field as well as what he’s done as far as being a pure athlete in what he can do hockey. We’re excited for him because it truly is a kid who really hasn’t focused solely on football. We feel there’s a ton of growth in his game in coming from a very high, high level of play already.
Obviously the brother of Jack but he is his own player. Similar traits as far as how they play, but personality wise, love what he can bring and a different style of leadership. A physicality he can bring to that inside linebacker position in his own right. We wanted to make he understood we’re not recruiting Jack. We’re recruiting you and we love you as an individual and what you can provide this program and how we can develop you going forward.
Probably as highly recruited skill player in the state in a long time. Extremely talented. What he does at the safety position and impacting games at that level was a lot of fun to watch. Another kid who is a multi-time champion. We’re fired up to bring those guys into the locker room and hopefully breed the success that they’ve had individually as a team and as a leader.
OFFENSE - JOE RUDOLPH
On bonding virtually with Skyler Bell, who couldn’t come on campus
I remember being at a lowly baseball game and I was talking with Skyler. It was great. He called, what he was interested in, what did he want to know. You take the time to reach out. Whether it was zoom meetings with him and his family or phone calls where you took the time to answer questions that pop up in their minds. I think those things are always huge … You keep plugging through it. It’s a long process. This is the really the only time where it kind of ends. There’s a lot that they learn through the process. There’s a lot you learn.
On his three offensive line commits in the class and where they fit on the line
I think all of them have position flexibility. I would say Nolan Rucci and probably Riley Mahlman are probably the two that most likely do stick at tackle. JP Benzschawel had a brother his size who was a pretty darn good offensive guard here that is working at center and guard at the NFL. They’ll be opportunities for all those guys to figure out what is best for them. Sometimes you get a guy and he fits a position better than maybe he even thought he would and you help find him there. Beau started off as a tackle for us but really found a home being a guard.
I do think all of them are really talented. Where they are at on the curve, you’ll find out as they get here and get rolling. Riley will be here at the midyear. He’ll be in here first, but I was really excited about how all three of them played this year, watching their film and watching them compete … I think they are big athletic guys that you I think you have to have as defensive are pretty darn athlete and can keep up with them. Those guys match in their work ethic, their mindset and I think they’ll make a major impact here.
On the mix of signing three running backs and how they will complement each other
They are all unique. Jackson Acker is a guy that obviously would have position flexibility but his is explosive. His track numbers are off the charts and he’s a big, physical football player. You would hope that’s the role he would carry, being an explosive, big back for you and be able to be a pads-out runner. He’s got a burst to him. I kind of really like that.
Loyal Crawford has got great speed, change of direction, chance at a home-run hitter. I think he’s got great quicks in and out. I think all these guys, we’ll find out where they are at when they come in, but I think guys who are just really good football players as well.
Antwan Roberts, what he does to this point, complete back and had a great senior year. Some it will hit them sooner, different roles that the running backs have within the offense. I think they’ll be able to embrace it and as we get them here, you’ll be able to find where their home is.
On where Jack Pugh’s skillset fits into what Wisconsin likes to do offensively
Jack played his first year of football last year. Really was a guy who was a hoop player who jumped into it. Watching his film, I thought he was really physical for a guy that hadn’t play football, and he was physical at d-end as well as tight end. I think he’s got the ability to separate. He’s got really good speed and explosiveness. During the process, we were looking for somebody that we felt could be a third-down guy. If you could find one that could be a third-down receiver/separate/hands guy that can also be lucky enough to do the rest of it, those are guys who are hard to find. As it went along, we felt like he could do all of that.
On quarterback Deacon Hill and what he can add to the quarterback room
I thought (quarterback coach Jon Budmayr) identified him really early. We thought we had great arm strength. When you compared him to the best players in the country that were out there, we thought he was right there form the jump. A lot of recognition, a lot of people have seen that as it went along, but we just thought he fit everything we were looking for as a QB. We really like the kid. We thought personality wise, the people that surrounded him and supported him, how he worked, all those things were a great fit for us. We were pumped at the time and we continue to be pumped about him.
