With the final 2024 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it's time to dive into the position rankings. The defensive position rankings are being released today, and BadgerBlitz.com takes a look at Wisconsin's signees from the 2024 class.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who should be No. 1 in the 2024 Rivals250?

Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars

Tuesday: Rivals250 released | Biggest movers | Gorney's thoughts

Wednesday: Offensive position rankings released | QB breakdown | RB breakdown | WR/TE breakdown | OL breakdown | Podcast

Thursday: Defensive position rankings released | DL breakdown | LB breakdown | DB breakdown | ATH breakdown

Friday: State rankings released

Saturday: Final thoughts on the 2024 Rivals250

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The Badgers landed a late commitment from Ernest Willor, a four-star end from Maryland. Willor finished as a Rivals250 prospect and the No. 20 strong-side defensive end in the country,.

“The thing about Ernest is, you see a guy who’s just scratching the surface," head coach Luke Fickell said. "I know he’s got a lot of talent and he’s a highly ranked guy, but when you look at him, it’s a guy that in another year and a half or a year will be completely different…what he provides when he walks in the door is a little different than what we have, but what he could be in another year and a half is what gives us the chance to go to the next level.”

Dillan Johnson dropped to the No. 31 defensive tackle in the country, while Hank Weber remained unranked as a defensive end.

“We’re looking for length and athleticism, and the other thing I’m looking for is wrestlers," Fickell said of Johnson. "It’s just the nature of the beast, guys that have a little different mentality. Obviously he might be the top rated high school wrestler, or heavyweight in the country. He might not be ranked No. 1 right now, but he also played 15, 16 football games…The thing that he gives us when he walks in the door here is the culture of what it is we’re continuing to push here…He’s a very physical guy, I’m not saying the length and athleticism that maybe we were talking about, but a guy that has an incredible amount of intangibles to be able to come in I think and play right away."

Landon Gauthier, an early enrollee for the Badgers, dropped to the No. 26 inside linebacker in the nation.

“Landon we’re really excited about, and the great thing about Landon is he’ll be here in a couple weeks," Fickell said. "That’s the unique thing for him. He gets to come in here, Jan. 15 and get a jump start on school, jump start on winter lifting with the guys and then it's spring ball, in a position we need some depth. Not that you count on young guys to come in and to play right away, but the guy that comes in early, the guy that has the size and strength that he has, he’s got some things walking in the door…to be able to really contribute next year.”

Anelu Lafaele and Thomas Heiberger, two more early enrollees, stayed amongst the top 50 outside linebackers in the country. Lafaele moved up to No. 39 while Heiberger remained at 47.

“There’s obviously a lot to like, and he’s exactly what we want to target with length and athleticism," Fickell said of Heiberger. "A guy that played four sports, I mean he was playing baseball last year in the spring, running track for the first hour and a half, and after he ran his track he switched over to a baseball uniform. He’s a guy that I feel, there’s a lot of different positions he could play at. We have him listed as outside linebacker, I think he could come in and play some inside linebacker. Again, another guy that’s just scratching the surface."

Omilio Agard (No. 23), Xavier Lucas (No. 44) and Jay Harper (No. 81) all finished as ranked cornerbacks in the 2024 class.

“Xavier, I would say, just his length and size and athleticism," recruiting staff member Pat Lambert said. "He had a really really good senior year. Obviously with some teams trying to come in and come after him late.

“Omilio Agard, we’re really fired up about as well. I think he’s the most savvy. I think he’ll be able to come in here and really help us because he’s played a lot, he’s played at a high level for a long time.”

Raphael Dunn, a projected “dollar” prospect, did not finish in the athlete rankings.

“Raphael Dunn is an athlete," Lambert said. "He’s gonna come in here and grow. We don’t really know — we’re not gonna pigeonhole him on just being a safety, a dollar, anything like that. We’re gonna get him in the weight room, on the field and kinda let him naturally develop.”

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