Published Jul 9, 2021
Rivals at 20: Looking back at Wisconsin's best recruiting runs
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Jon McNamara  •  BadgerBlitz
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Wisconsin has gone on some impressive recruiting runs during the Rivals.com era, but very few - if any - topped the Badgers' commitment spree this summer.

With the addition of safety Austin Brown on July 4, UW picked up 10 commitments during a 16-day span.

So, how does it stack up to some other runs since 2002? We took a look back at the top 10 to compare.

WISCONSIN'S 2022 RECRUITING CLASS

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Wisconsin's Class of 2022
PlayerLocation StarsCommit Date

Fall River, WI

2

6/19/21

Trafford, PA

3

6/21/21

Monroe, WI

2

6/21/21

Wayne, NJ

3

6/21/21

DeWitt, MI

3

6/23/21

Cornelius, NC

3

6/25/21

Southlake, TX

3

6/28/21

Whitefish Bay, WI

4

6/29/21

Louisville, KY

3

6/30/21

Johnston City, IL

3

7/4/21

Recruiting run: 10 commitments in 16 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: TBD

Recap: With over a year between allowed on-campus visits, the month of June was recruiting on steroids across the country. When the dust settled, Wisconsin secured commitments from 10 of the 19 official visitors it hosted in June. Three from that group - Kenneth Grant, Carson Hinzman and Billy Schrauth - have yet to make their final decisions. It's too early to say for sure, but the run in June and early July will likely make up more than half of the Badgers' 2022 class.

WISCONSIN'S 2018 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2018
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Austin, TX

3

6/10/17

Gibraltar, MI

3

6/12/17

Culver City, CA

3

6/13/17

West Bloomfield, MI

3

6/22/17

West Bloomfield, MI

3

6/23/17

Brooklyn, NY

3

6/27/17

Lincoln, NE

3

7/5/17

Avon, IN

3

7/6/17

Humble, TX

3

7/6/17

Recruiting run: 9 commitments in 26 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 45%

Recap: Paul Chryst and his staff took full advantage of summer camps and official visits in June of 2017. The recruiting run turned out to be a huge chunk of UW's class, and the Badgers only added two scholarship players - Rachad Wildgoose and Donte Burton - from August 2017 to February of 2018.

WISCONSIN'S 2016 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2016
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Amherst, WI

3

6/9/15

Carmel, IN

4

6/13/15

Fort Lauderdale, FL

3

6/14/15

Forest Lake, MN

3

6/16/15

Dublin, OH

3

6/18/15

Green Bay, WI

4

6/20/15

Salisbury, CT

3

6/27/15

Oakwood, GA

3

7/1/15

Recruiting run: 8 commitments in 22 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 32%

Recap: Tyler Biadasz and Patrick Kasl, both of whom earned offers at camp, kicked off a nice summer run for Wisconsin in the 2016 class. Most of the 25 scholarship athletes in this class, though, were added in the fall of 2015 and the following winter.

WISCONSIN'S 2014 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2014
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Goose Creek, SC

3

11/15/13

Chattanooga, TN

2

11/18/13

Ocala, FL

2

11/21/13

Greendale, WI

2

11/28/13

Galion, OH

4

11/30/13

Kapolei, HI

2

12/2/13

Thatcher, AZ

3

12/3/13

Lake Villa, IL

3

12/3/13

Recruiting run: 8 commitments 18 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 31%

Recap: The Gary Andersen-led 2014 class saw Wisconsin secure eight commitments from eight different states. Because official visits weren't allowed in the summer during this cycle, this run came during game-day trips in the fall. TJ Edwards and Natrell Jamerson proved to be nice under-the-radar finds for Andersen.

WISCONSIN'S 2011 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2011
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Oak Ridge, NC

2

10/6/10

Springfield, MN

3

10/10/10

Westerville, OH

3

10/19/10

Trotwood, OH

3

10/21/10

Chicago, IL

3

10/30/10

Cincinnati, OH

3

11/1/10

Recruiting run: 6 commitments in 26 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 30%

Recap: Not a huge number in comparison to other runs on this list, but the Badgers hit on some long-time targets in Ray Ball, A.J. Jordan, James Adeyanju and Jesse Hayes. Kenzel Doe and Tyler Marz were both camp offers for the Badgers.

WISCONSIN'S 2010 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2010
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Olney, MD

3

6/23/09

Waunakee, WI

3

6/23/09

Berlin, WI

3

6/24/09

Cuyahoga Falls, OH

2

7/11/09

Cherry Hill, NJ

3

7/14/09

Belleville, IL

3

7/21/09

Brookfield, WI

3

7/27/09

Milwaukee, WI

3

7/27/09

Centerville, OH

3

7/28/09

Recruiting run: 9 commitments in 35 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 38%

Recap: Bret Bielema and his staff went on a nice summer run in the 2010 class. A good chunk of this group earned offers at camp in the summer of 2009 and committed soon after.

WISCONSIN'S 2009 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2009
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Hemlock, MI

3

6/11/08

Wentzville, MO

4

6/23/08

Kettering, OH

3

6/25/08

Walworth, WI

3

6/27/08

Loveland, OH

3

6/27/08

Owatonna, MN

3

6/28/08

Recruiting run: 6 commitments in 17 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 29%

Recap: Not a large run, but this group had some fire power with Montee Ball, Chris Borland and Travis Frederick, three of the best to play for Wisconsin during the Bielema era. Dave Doeren helped UW land Ball, while Borland and Frederick were camp offers.

WISCONSIN'S 2008 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2008
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Kingsport, TN

4

6/15/07

Troy, OH

3

6/18/07

Ashwaubenon, WI

2

6/22/07

Bolingbrook, IL

2

6/24/07

Springfield, IL

3

6/24/07

St. Paul, MN

3

6/24/07

Waukee, IA

2

6/26/07

Milwaukee, WI

3

6/28/07

Rogers, AR

3

6/29/07

Recruiting run: 9 commitments in 14 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 38%

Recap: A lot of players from this run fizzled out during their time at Wisconsin, but this was a busy streak for the Badgers in the middle of the summer. In hindsight, more than half of this group were likely "reaches" for UW in this cycle.

WISCONSIN'S 2006 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2006
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Colleyville, TX

3

1/16/06

Fort Worth, TX

2

1/16/06

Naples, FL

2

1/19/06

St. Louis, MO

2

1/30/06

Walton, FL

2

1/30/06

Racine, WI

2

1/30/06

Palatine, IL

2

1/30/06

Pasadena, CA

2

1/30/06

Mequon, WI

2

1/31/06

Recruiting run: 9 commitments in 15 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 39%

Recap: As Bielema transitioned into his role as head coach, he added Josh Nettles, Niles Brinkley, Diondrae Jenkins, Scott Tolzien, Ricky Garner and Brad Thorson right before Signing Day in 2006. Prior to that, the Badgers went outside the state to secure commitments from three players on the defensive side of the ball. Of the nine, only Jay Valai carried higher than a two-star ranking. All nine grades, outside of Scott Tolzien, proved to be correct.

WISCONSIN'S 2005 RECRUITING CLASS

Wisconsin's Class of 2005
PlayerLocation StarsCommitment Date

Central Square, NY

2

12/6/04

Oak Creek, WI

4

12/6/04

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

3

12/13/04

Scotland, PA

2

12/13/04

Philadelphia, PA

3

12/14/04

Harvey, IL

3

12/14/04

Troy, OH

2

12/15/04

Norwich, CT

3

12/17/04

Brooklyn, NY

2

12/20/04

Columbus, OH

2

12/21/04

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

4

12/24/04

Recruiting run: 11 commitments in 18 days

Percent of the total scholarship class: 50 percent

Recap: This was a huge push late in the recruiting process for the Badgers, who locked up 50 percent of their 2005 class in the month of December.