BadgerBlitz.com dives into its message board to take questions from subscribers in this week's mailbag.
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Who are the in-state players you expect Wisconsin to extend offers to in the 2024 class?
Wisconsin has yet to offer a prospect in the 2023 in-state class, but it's likely only a matter of time before scholarships start to go out in the sophomore cycle from inside the state. At this point, four Class of 2024 athletes hold Division 1 offers:
OL Donovan Harbour: Central Michigan, Iowa State, Nebraska
OL Derek Jensen: Illinois, Iowa State, Nebraska, Syracuse, Virginia, Kansas
RB Corey Smith: Central Michigan, Iowa State, Nebraska
DL Jace Gilbert: Central Michigan
Starting with the two offensive linemen, Harbour, from Catholic Memorial, is raw but passes the eye-ball test and has big upside as a potential tackle or guard. Jensen, from Arrowhead High School, may not have the same ceiling in comparison, but he's an athletic tackle with size who will eventually play at the FBS level. Both visited UW this fall.
Another standout from Catholic Memorial, Smith split carries as a sophomore but will be the feature back in 2022. With that, I expect him to put huge numbers for one of the top teams in Wisconsin. The Badgers typically don't let high-end skill players leave the state, and Smith will likely fall into that category.
Jensen's teammate at Arrowhead, Gilbert, at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, is an athletic defensive lineman who has the frame to add more good weight. I think the Badgers offer all four at some point.
The next tier of talent includes running back Terrance Shelton, offensive lineman Mitch Vergtegen, linebackers Drew Braam and Tevyn Montgomery, tight end JJ Douglas, athlete Sam Ostregna and wide receivers Drew Wagner, Adrian Thomas and Jacques Brooks. All are receiving early Division 1 attention, and more will be added to the group in the next six to 12 months.
It's early, but the 2024 in-state class could rival the 2022 class in terms of high-end Division 1 talent. The Badgers offered eight current seniors from inside the state, and I could see that number matched or even exceeded in the sophomore group.
