Reggie Pearson is No. 1 for Wisconsin in 2018 class

Wisconsin received its first commitment in the 2018 class Saturday from three-star safety Reggie Pearson.

A 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior from River Rouge High School in Michigan, Pearson visited Madison twice this year, most recently in late June.

"I committed mainly because they have a great education and they go to bowl games every year," Pearson told BadgerBlitz.com. "They just create better people and better men for life after football.

"The coaches were excited when I told them. The said they were going to celebrate about it and that was pretty much it."

A first-team all-state selection after registering 77 tackles and two interceptions as a sophomore, Pearson, who was recruited by assistant coaches Mickey Turner and Jim Leonhard, chose UW over offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Miami of Ohio, Syracuse and Western Michigan.

"I'm 100 percent committed to Wisconsin," Pearson said. "The decision is final.

"Committing this early takes a lot of stress off my shoulders and I can focus on school and my team."

Prior to his commitment, Pearson, who has family in the state, was also receiving strong interest from Michigan State, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa and Northwestern, among others.

"If Michigan or Michigan State were to offer, it would be nice but I know Wisconsin is the place for me," he said.

A 4.0 student, Pearson said he would like to major in mechanical engineering at UW.

"Being the first one this in this class is pretty surprising and a lot of people don't think to commit this early, but it makes you prove that you're more into the school," Pearson said. "If something were to happen like an injury or something, I'm showing that Wisconsin is the school I wanted to be at and the place I want to play."