When Ibrahim Halsey takes a look at Wisconsin, the 5-10, 190-pound back from Elizabeth, N.J. can't help but wonder if he could be the next success story leaving New Jersey to have tremendous success in a Badger uniform.

Halsey is in the process of scheduling an official visit to Madison following his season, which he hopes will be capped by a third consecutive state championship. Elizabeth is 7-0, ranked No. 2 in the state and 14th nationally by USA Today.

He dreams of making a huge splash in college football en route to the NFL, and Wisconsin is one of the places he's seriously considering taking that next step.

"Wisconsin recruits Jersey kids hard, and they allow them to come in there and get a chance to play and make a name for themselves," Halsey said. "Guys from Jersey have been going over to Wisconsin and ripping it up, so I'm definitely (considering UW)."

Halsey has visits scheduled to Georgia Dec. 7 and Georgia Tech Jan. 11. He hopes to fill his remaining three visits with trips to Wisconsin, Maryland and Notre Dame, while still considering Illinois and Iowa.

A two-way high school star, Halsey has his mind set on playing running back, and that was the primary factor he used to pare down a stack of Division I offers.

"I tried to weed out the schools that wanted me for defense or other positions," Halsey said. "My heart is playing running back, and I know when I put my mind to it, I can accomplish that and get it done."

Halsey is hoping to make history at Elizabeth, which has a laundry list of state championships to its name (including six under current head coach Jerry Moore) but has never won three consecutive titles.

He's rushed for 900 yards and 16 touchdowns, while accumulating 500 yards receiving. His goal is to finish with more than 1,000 yards in both categories, showing his versatility as a tailback.

"I can catch the ball, which definitely separates me from other running backs," Halsey said. "I'm able to sneak it in there between the tackles and get those tough yards, and I'm also able to get yards catching the ball out of the backfield or lining up as a receiver. It makes me more marketable."

Halsey has made a name for himself in everything he's done, playing basketball his first two years before switching to wrestling last season. He exceeded all expectations during his first year attempting the sport with a fabulous win-loss record.

His favorite athlete of all-time is Barry Sanders, but these days he finds himself watching Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James closely, trying to implement some of their moves into his own repertoire.

"Those are the guys I really like, because I'm not a big back, but I can get the job done," Halsey said. "I have a whole bunch of heart. I can make moves and make guys miss."

Halsey said he'll make his choice based on the information he collects during his official visits, and how the schools compare academically. He plans to major in business administration.

"I'm going to look at the coaching staff, where the program's at, facilities, being down there talking to the players, the relationship I have with the guy recruiting me," Halsey said. "I want to go to a place where I know I'm going to get a legitimate shot at playing. And education as well. Everybody wants to make it to the NFL, but if that doesn't happen, which school will put me in the best situation to succeed? This is a great process, a great experience, but it's also a big decision you have to make."

Halsey plans to decide in mid-to-late January, following his five official visits.