The 'people and the culture' made UW the right fit for '22 OL John Clifford

John Clifford's move from tight end to offensive guard this fall caught Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Rudolph's attention.

As the senior from Watertown (WI) High School continued to grow into his new position, so did the Badgers' interest, ultimately leading to a preferred walk-on offer. On Tuesday, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound senior announced his college decision to stay inside the state.

"In June I went to camp at Wisconsin and performed well," Clifford told BadgerBlitz.com. "After the camp I got in contact with Coach Rudolph and Coach Eric Johnson about being a preferred walk-on.

"I started the year at tight end but made the transition to left guard. After about three weeks of playing the new position, Coach Rudolph and the Badgers offered me the PWO. I really think the coaches there liked my size and quickness, along with my ability to get to the secondary on run blocks."

***WISCONSIN'S PREFERRED WALK-ON OFFERS IN THE 2022 CLASS***

According to head coach Benji Kamrath, Clifford, a three-star varsity performer, will be the first player from the Goslings' program to play for a Big Ten school over the 18 years.

"I’ve gone to the last three home games and they have all been awesome, but I think what really sealed the deal was my unofficial and campus visit I did last week," Clifford said. "Getting to see the campus was really the last thing I needed to see before making my decision.

"The people and the culture made Wisconsin the right fit. I love the city of Madison but the coaches are also amazing. Every coach I’ve ever talked to made it known that they wanted me there. Also the educational side of Wisconsin had everything I wanted with so many options for majors there. I just knew it was the perfect fit."

Clifford chose Wisconsin overs offers from Winona State and Upper Iowa, among other schools. He is the third preferred walk-on commit for UW in the 2022 class, along with safety Jackson Trudgeon and kicker Gavin Lahm.

"I had a couple Division 2 scholarships and some Division 3 roster spots," Clifford said. "It feels awesome to have made my decision. Ever since I was a kid I have wanted to be a Badger and play at Camp Randall, so having that decision made now feels surreal."

*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den

*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel

*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)

*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @JakeKoco, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45

*Like us on Facebook