Junior day preview: Wisconsin gearing up for a huge two-day event

Wisconsin's second junior day this winter will include a large, two-day visitor list of high-priority targets in the 2025 recruiting class.

BadgerBlitz.com takes a look at the 22 expected athletes headed to Madison this weekend.

Expected attendee: Landyn Locke

Wisconsin offered Landyn Locke, 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds, in May. The junior visited Madison for a week in June and announced his commitment shortly after. A handful of schools have offered since Locke's pledge.

"Coach (Phil) Longo watched Landyn and offered him in the spring," Rockwall head coach Trey Brooks told BadgerBlitz.com. "He's had a ton of conversations with him over the phone and being familiar with the family doesn't hurt anything. But it doesn't take very long to see that ability on the field. It's really special when you watch him throw the ball. Having conversations and talking football with him, you can tell Landyn is as sharp as they come. Those things combined probably made him a top target for Coach Longo.

"Just talking to him after he visited, just the personal connection he made with Coach Longo and Coach (Luke) Fickell, those were huge. I asked him what the best part of the trip was and he said the time sitting down with those two and talking football with them. Having his brother in the room also didn't hurt, but that was his favorite part. Spending time with the coaches who are going to work with him and the connection he made put Wisconsin on top."

As a junior, Locke passed for over 1,700 yards with 19 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Expected attendees: Byron Louis, Jace Clarizio, Chase Garnett

Wisconsin is in the top 10 for Byron Louis, along with Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami (FL), Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee and USC. The Buckeyes are currently the early favorite to land the Rivals250 tailback. Louis played this past season with 2024 UW signee Xavier Lucas.

Tailback Jace Clarizio was scheduled to visit in January for Wisconsin's junior day, but that trip was canceled due to weather. The Badgers ended up offering the unranked back from East Lansing a few days later. Central Michigan, Iowa State, Michigan State, USC and Eastern Michigan, among others, have also offered. As a junior, Clarizio rushed for 1,335 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Chase Garnett is an unranked back from Texas. As a junior, he rushed for 1,808 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Expected attendees: Q. X Farrakhan Jr., Cameron Russell, Davion Chandler

Quannell Farrakhan Jr. was teammates in Texas with 2024 Wisconsin signee Mabrey Mettauer. The two were supposed to visit together this fall but that trip was canceled due to a change in The Woodlands' schedule. Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State and Tennessee, among many others, have also offered.

Cameron Russell, a senior wide receiver from Marquette, has a preferred walk-on offer from the Badgers. He could join UW's 2024 commit list this weekend.

Davion Chandler, an unranked junior from Indianapolis, currently lists scholarships from Indiana, West Virginia and Liberty. He's likely a slot option for the Badgers.