Published Dec 4, 2024
NSD Primer: A class overview and Wisconsin's storylines for Signing Day
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Jon McNamara  •  BadgerBlitz
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The Wisconsin coaching staff will begin to receive letters of intent Wednesday morning during college football's early signing period. Head coach Luke Fickell, along with recruiting staffers Max Stienecker and Pat Lambert, is scheduled to speak to local media at 1:00 PM.

The Badgers currently have 24 scholarship commitments and a pledge from one preferred walk-on in the 2025 class. There is still work to be done, however, and BadgerBlitz.com has an overview and the storylines to follow tomorrow.

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OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT 2025 RECRUITING CLASS

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Wisconsin is expected to begin Wednesday morning with 24 scholarship commitments in the 2025 class. The group currently ranks No. 18 in the country and No. 6 in the Big Ten, one of the best hauls in the program's history during the Rivals.com era.

The class includes five commitments from inside Wisconsin, up from just two last year. The 19 other athletes come from 13 different states: Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey.

The group includes 10 four-star prospects and four Rivals250 members. Wisconsin had 11 players who held a mark of 5.8 or higher in the 2024 cycle.

Quarterbacks (2)

Wide receivers (1)

Tight ends (2)

Offensive lineman (5)

Defensive linemen (3)

Inside linebackers (2)

Outside linebackers (3)

Defensive backs (6)

Wisconsin's 2025 Recruiting Class
*Indicates a member of the Rivals250 for the 2025 class
NAMESTARSRRLOCATION
4

5.9

Mount Healthy, OH

4

5.9

Fort Myers, FL

4

5.8

Gainesville, FL

4

5.8

Brookline, MA

4

5.8

Phoenix, AZ

4

5.8

Albuquerque, NM

4

5.8

Zionsville, IN

4

5.8

Dexter, MI

4

5.8

Chicago, IL

4

5.8

Palatine, IL

3

5.7

Wautoma, WI

3

5.7

Neenah, WI

3

5.7

Monticello, MN

3

5.7

Indianapolis, IN

3

5.7

Denton, TX

3

5.7

Cincinnati, OH

3

5.6

Rockwall, TX

3

5.6

Fredericksburg, VA

3

5.6

Germantown, WI

3

5.6

Lawrenceville, NJ

3

5.6

Middleton, WI

3

5.5

Massillon, OH

3

5.5

Oconomowoc, WI

2

5.3

Charlotte, NC

HOW THIS CLASS STACKS UP HISTORICALLY 

Fickell and his staff are expected to bring in a Top 3 (within the program) recruiting class of the Internet-era (2002). As of Tuesday evening, UW has the No. 18 class in the country, but that will change this week and beyond until the late period in February. As long at the Badgers stay under No. 27, though, this will be the third highest-rated group set to arrive in Madison.

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Wisconsin's Recruiting Classes During the Rivals.com Era
RANKYEAR NATIONAL RANKSTAR AVERAGETOTAL SIGNEES

No. 1

No. 14

3.48

21

No. 2

No. 18

3.38

24

No. 3

No. 19

3.5

20

No. 4

No. 27

3.26

19

No. 5

No. 28

3.2

20

No. 6

No. 33

2.88

26

No. 7

No. 33

2.77

22

No. 8

No. 34

3.06

18

No. 9

No. 35

3.11

18

No. 10

No. 35

3.08

25

No. 11

No. 37

2.81

19

No. 12

No. 39

2.81

21

No. 13

No. 39

2.48

23

No. 14

No. 40

3.05

20

No. 15

No. 40

3.05

20

No. 16

No. 40

2.7

23

No. 17

No. 41

2.83

24

No. 18

No. 43

3.0

21

No. 19

No. 46

2.52

23

No. 20

No. 49

3.07

15

No. 21

No. 57

3.2

15

No. 22

No. 57

3.08

12

No. 23

No. 57

2.84

19

No. 24

No. 87

2.88

24

AVERAGES

39.5

3.0

20.5

THERE WERE FLIPS ALONG THE WAY

Wisconsin's 2025 recruiting class was impacted - both positively and negatively - by decommitments in this cycle.

On the positive end for the staff, the Badgers were able to flip Emmett Bork from Michigan State, Drayden Pavey from Purdue, Cario Skanes from Miami (OH), Jaylen Williams from Michigan and Torin Pettaway from Minnesota. Carter Smith was also committed to the Wolverines prior to his pledge to UW.

Conversely, at one time UW held pledges from Cody Haddad (expected to sign with Ohio State), Wilnerson Telemaque (West Virginia), Erik Schmidt (Notre Dame), Brendan Anes (Tennessee), Rukeem Stroud (UCF) and Cameron Miller (Kentucky) in this cycle.

IN-STATE MISSES

For the second consecutive year, Wisconsin will not sign the highest-rated prospect in the state. In fact, the Badgers are set to miss on the top three in 2025: OL Owen Strebig (Notre Dame), TE James Flanigan (Notre Dame) and CB Tre Poteat (Tennessee). In 2024, No. 1 ranked Nathan Roy, a four-star offensive lineman from Mukwonago, landed at Minnesota.

The Badgers did, however, land the top player in Massachusetts (Hardy Watts) and New Mexico (Mason Posa). Luke Emmerich is the No. 2 player in Minnesota and Logan Powell is ranked No. 3 in Arizona.

WISCONSIN WILL HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO PLAY WITH THIS WINTER 

A lot will change in the next few days and weeks, but the Wisconsin coaching staff should plenty of room to operate in the transfer portal or even the late signing window. Unofficially, the Badgers have 80 of their 85 allotted scholarships accounted for, a number that will change with continued attrition on the current roster. Additionally, the 85 does not factor in all of UW's current seniors who have an opportunity to return next season.

Fickell does not want to build his roster through the portal, but he will have the ability to fill holes before the start of spring camp with seven transfers already in the portal.

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