Texas QB Landyn Locke is No. 1 for the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2025 class

Of the five quarterbacks on Wisconsin's current roster, three are from the state of Texas.

Offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who helped add Tanner Mordecai (Waco), Braedyn Locke (Rockwall) and Nick Evers (Flower Mound) via the transfer portal this winter, also mined the Lone Star State when he secured a commitment from Mabrey Mettauer, a four-star prospect from The Woodlands High School, in the 2024 class.

So it only makes sense that UW's first commitment in the 2025 class, rising junior Landyn Locke, calls Texas home. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound prospect from Rockwall High School recently completed a week-long trip to Wisconsin, a visit that led to his decision.

"I went down there for a week - Sunday through Saturday," Locke told BadgerBlitz.com. "I've never been up to Wisconsin, so it was my first time seeing everything in person. It's going to sound cliché, but I fell in love with Wisconsin and everything about it.

"From the strength coaches, to the assistant coaches, to the city, to facilities - everything about it just blew me away. Honestly, the city of Madison itself was really nice. It felt like a great place to be and it felt like home. I was really surprised with how nice everything was at every place we went. I just enjoyed everything about it."

Locke, of course, is the younger brother of Braedyn Locke, who is expected to open fall camp as the No. 2 quarterback behind Mordecai. Braedyn transferred to UW this winter after one season at Mississippi State.

"I tried not to factor Braedyn into my decision too much, but he brings something that no other school in the country can offer," Landyn said. "He told me things to look out for and basically said not to get sold on stuff by coaches that were recruiting me. Braeydn has been at Wisconsin for about six months now and he loves everything about it. And after being there for a week, I feel the same way."

How do the two brothers compare? That's a question that gets asked a lot.

"I like to say that I'm a little more athletic, but he will argue that," Landyn joked. "I like to say we're different and he likes to say we're different, but we've come to realize that we are the same in a lot of areas with a few differences as well.

"He was pretty excited about my decision and I know he wasn't expecting it. I came to the decision by myself but he was super fired up and he's happy for me."

Both Longo and head coach Luke Fickell also played a significant role in Locke's early decision. He chose the Badgers over scholarships from Miami (FL), Southern Methodist, Tulsa and Western Kentucky.

"When I first met Coach Longo he ended up offering me, so that was a big deal with that trust that he had," Locke said. "Getting to spend time with him this past week, he's the real deal and a big reason why I committed to Wisconsin. He's a great guy and his resume speaks for itself. I sat in the film room for quite a while with Coach Longo and with Braedyn. That was a big highlight for me and it's always fun.

"I don't think there's a better coaching staff to play under with Coach Fickell and Coach Longo. With Coach Fickell, I don't think there's a better guy out there. From the things Braedyn has told me and the things my parents had to say about him, I saw it for myself this week. I haven't heard one bad thing about him and I think he's doing a great job at Wisconsin."

As a sophomore, Locke passed for 1,823 yards, 31 touchdowns and just four interceptions in eight games. He's excited to be able to focus on his next two years of high school without the pressures and time commitments that recruiting requires.

"It's great to be done," Locke said. "It's a relief to be done even though mine didn't last all that long.

"It feels good to be done and to be able to focus on my high school team over the next two years."

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