The updated Rivals250 for the 2025 class was released Tuesday, and BadgerBlitz.com took a look at 10 key targets for Wisconsin.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Sunday: Who should be No. 1?
Monday: Five-Star Countdown | Meet the new five-stars
Tuesday: New Rivals250 released | Gorney goes position-by-position | Biggest movers
Wednesday: New offensive position rankings
Thursday: New defensive position rankings
Friday: New state rankings
Saturday: Rankings roundtable
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No. 57: Linebacker Anthony Sacca
Top 5: Alabama, Duke, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Wisconsin
Anthony Sacca, a four-star linebacker from Philadelphia, recently included Wisconsin in his top five. The four-star junior was scheduled to visit for a junior day in January, but that trip was canceled due to weather.
"Obviously not getting out there in January kind of hurt them in a sense," Sacca told Rivals.com. "Nothing against them - flights get canceled and it is what it is. I still have a great relationship with Coach (Matt) Mitchell, who I was on the phone with today, and Coach (Luke) Fickell texted me to get the scoop on whether Wisconsin was in (top 5) or out because they were uncertain ever since Coach (Colin) Hitschler left.
"I have a great relationship with Coach (Max) Stienecker, who works in their recruiting department. So I have great relationships with them and I don't want to cut those ties just yet."
Sacca, the No. 2 player in Pennsylvania, could play inside or outside linebacker for the Badgers.
No. 123: Defensive tackle Maxwell Roy
Top 6: Duke, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Rutgers and Wisconsin.
The Word: The Badgers hosted Maxwell Roy, along with teammate Isaiah West, this past summer. Losing (primary recruiter) Colin Hitschler and (position coach) Greg Scruggs puts UW in a more difficult spot in Roy's recruitment, but Wisconsin did sign his teammate, four-star cornerback Omillio Agard, in the 2024 class.
"With Wisconsin, it's the coaching staff," Roy told Rivals.com. "From Coach (Luke) Fickell, the head coach, to all the people around the building when I was able to get up there. Madison is a beautiful place and the whole experience while I was up there was a great time. I want to get back up there as soon as possible."
Expect a decision from Roy, a big mover in the updated rankings, this spring.
"Definitely before June, that's what I'm looking at (for a decision) before that time," Roy said. "If it comes down to the point where I'm very close in between two schools, I could definitely end up taking two officials. But the goal is only to take one."
No. 125: Tailback Byron Louis
Top 10: Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Miami (FL), Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Wisconsin and USC
Byron Louis, a standout from from American Heritage High School in Florida, has been in contact with position coach Devon Spalding. The four-star talent also connected with head coach Luke Fickell during his first visit to Wisconsin earlier this month.
"My relationship with Coach Spalding is good," Louis told BadgerBlitz.com. "He is a good guy who is passionate about running backs. Coach Fickell just said that he believes in hard work and he thinks I am a hard worker. All the coaches had good things to say and that they would like me to be a Badger.
"I will probably be going back to Wisconsin in the spring or summer. I’m hearing from quite a few schools right now. There's no specific timeline for a decision. I'm just enjoying the process so I can make the right decision when it’s time."
No. 143: Tailback John Forster
Offers: Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among others
The Word: Wisconsin recently offered Rivals250 tailback John Forster, who is set to visit for the first time on April 6. The four-star talent from New Jersey already has officials scheduled to Rutgers and Syracuse.
No. 145: Offensive tackle Avery Gach
Offers: Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, USC and Wisconsin, among others
The Word: Michigan could be tough to beat for four-star lineman Avery Gach. But the Badgers are in the thick of his recruitment after an unofficial visit this past fall.
"Those two (Michigan and Wisconsin) and Ohio State," Gach said when asked what schools stand out in his recruitment. "I went as a fan to the Penn State and Michigan State game for my friends birthday and got to see those two teams play at Ford Field. That was pretty cool and Penn State balled. Some other schools that I keep in contact with a lot would be Georgia and USC. Georgia keeps producing lineman to the NFL and my visit there stuck out compared to some of my other visits. So, that was a big school that I'm interested in as well."
No. 154: Defensive end Jaylen Williams
Offers: Auburn, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Miami (FL), Michigan, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Wisconsin, among others
The Word: Jaylen Williams, who has been to Madison a handful of times during his recruitment, has been a top priority for Wisconsin for quite some time. The four-star prospect from Illinois has two official visits scheduled to Tennessee (June 15) and Nebraska (June 22); UW is a strong contender for a weekend in June as well.
Losing Greg Scruggs to Michigan certainly helps the Wolverines, but the Badgers are still expected to be a player in his recruitment. If new position coach E.J. Whitlow can put Wisconsin on top, that would be a huge statement in his first cycle on staff.
"I'm still focused on making a decision before the start of my senior season," Williams told Rivals.com. "I'll take my official visits in the late spring and early summer then look hard at everything one last time and then make a decision."
No. 171: Offensive tackle Jack Lange
Top 6: Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Nebraska
The Word: First-year position coach A.J. Blazek offered Jack Lange when he was at Vanderbilt, and he re-affirmed his interest in Lange less than a week into his new gig at Wisconsin.
"I’ve done some research on Coach Blazek and who he is as a person. He’s lived up to everything that I’ve researched about him and that I’ve seen from him," Lange told BadgerBlitz.com. “He talks to me quite a bit. He sees me as one of his top recruits right now. He thinks that I could be a very good spot at tackle up there.
"He thinks that he could develop me pretty well. I mean, he’s talking to me every day. He has Snapchat, so he’s sending me how they’re working out and stuff like that. I'd say our relationship is pretty good."
Lange will visit Wisconsin for the first time on April 20.
No. 204: Outside linebacker Jayden Woods
Top 13: Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Kansas State, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Wisconsin
The Word: Jayden Woods recently took junior day trips to Big Ten schools Purdue (Feb. 3) and Wisconsin (Feb. 4). The four-star edge prospect from Kansas will be back on each campus in late spring for two of his official visits.
"I have two officials set right now to Wisconsin and Purdue." Woods told BadgerBlitz.com. "Wisconsin is the last weekend in May and Purdue the weekend of June 14."
No. 230: Cornerback Tre Poteat
Offers: Florida, Illinois, Iowa State, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin, among others
The Word: Tre Poteat visited Wisconsin twice this spring and camped with the Badgers in June. The in-state cornerback returned for an unofficial visit on July 29 and was back for the Ohio State game. Keeping Poteat home would be a huge win for the Badgers in 2025, but he's being courted by some of the top schools in the country.
"I love them (Wisconsin)," Poteat said. "I love coach (Paul) Haynes and I like what they are doing over there. They are trying to get a feel for guys who want to be there, and guys they need to get, so it's nice to see that I'm a top priority for them."
No. 235: Offensive tackle Michael Carroll
Offers: Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, Penn State, Rutgers, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin, among others
The word: Four-star offensive tackle Michael Carroll is another high-priority target for the Badgers in the state of Pennsylvania. The standout from Central Bucks East visited Wisconsin for the first time in late October and is now a priority for first-year position coach A.J. Blazek.
Penn State and Michigan are believed to be out in front for Carroll at this point in his recruitment.
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