The 2018 recruiting class is a big opportunity for the Wisconsin coaching staff. The talent level inside the state is high - well over 25 prospects currently have a Division 1 offer - and the Badgers are riding the national momentum of an 11-3 season from a year ago.

Fourteen scholarship seniors are set to graduate at the end of 2017, so UW will be looking to add around 17-19 signees in this recruiting cycle.

Below is the third look (VERSION 1.0, VERSION 2.0) at what the perfect class for Wisconsin could look like. A perfect class doesn't necessarily mean landing all the top players UW has offered. It is more realistic than that - it fills needs and gives fans the stars they so desperately want. This is the best case scenario with players the Badgers have a legitimate chance with.

Quarterback has certainly been an interesting position this spring. Wisconsin started May with a commitment from Ben Bryant, added Chase Wolf but then dropped Bryant just days later. Right now, UW is still keeping its eye open for quarterbacks but because of the scholarship crunch, we're predicting Wolf will be the lone scholarship signal caller in this class.

Nakia Watson, a three-star back from Texas, committed to Wisconsin a little over a week ago during an unofficial visit to Madison.

"The coaches were really excited and pumped," Watson told BadgerBlitz.com. "It happened at lunch and we did it down by the lake, so a lot of people were pumped to see a running back commit to Running Back University.

"Wisconsin only wants one running back in this class and it feels really good to be that one guy."

This is probably Wisconsin's most intriguing position heading into the summer. Ted Gilmore has done an excellent job keeping tabs on numerous prospects from coast to coast. That said, UW's receivers coach has honed in on Michigan standouts Taj Mustapha and A.J. Abbott, both of whom earned offers at camp last weekend. Both are back on campus this weekend with Wisconsin in their top groups, respectively.

Two days after Watson's commitment, Jaylan Franklin added his name to Wisconsin's 2018 class. He is expected to be the only scholarship tight end UW takes in this cycle.

"From the beginning I had a similar feeling to Michigan State, it felt like home and Wisconsin is in a great situation," Franklin, from Carlson High School, said. "They want to put me in the system and make me a great player for them.

"I loved the campus, I loved the people and I love the football they play. I guess I just felt right and fell in love with Wisconsin."

Michael Furtney was expected to be the lone scholarship lineman in Wisconsin's 2018 class. But in-state athlete Jack Plumb proved too talented to pass on after he picked up offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State and Arizona State, among others. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound projected tackle is expected to make his decision before the close of the month with the Badgers, Spartans and Hawkeyes the top contenders.

With Boyd Dietzen and Isaiah Mullens already in the mix, the Badgers are done at defensive end unless they are able to add a dynamic playmaker. Defensive tackle, though, is still a position of need and, arguably, the biggest question mark heading into the summer. We'll go with Nazir Sy here, but our confidence level isn't necessarily that high. The good news, though: Wisconsin, which should have the bulk of its class wrapped up soon, will have almost all summer and fall to focus in on one nose guard.

Wisconsin is just about full at linebacker with commitments from CJ Goetz, Mason Platter and Jack Sanborn. But a spring offer to David Alston is evidence the staff may still has room for one more on the outside. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound prospect visited for UW's spring game and his sister is already a student at the university. Though Alston hasn't trimmed his list, Wisconsin has be at, or near the top, of his recruitment.

Two recent out-of-state visitors, Alex Smith committed earlier this week while Travian Blaylock will likely make his decision after he camps at Stanford next week. Should the Cardinal pass on an offer, all signs point to the Badgers.

"I have a camp/visit to Stanford on the (June) 20th and then after that I don't think I have much," Blaylock told BadgerBlitz.com. "The rest of the summer will just be thinking and praying about my ultimate decision. Hopefully the decision is soon but I'm not sure when it will be.

"Out of the offers that I have and the places I have visited, yes, Wisconsin is definitely at the top."

Not much suspense here. Reggie Pearson and Trent Ingalls were commits No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the 2018 class, and they will likely be the only two scholarship safeties come February.

The staff viewed in-state athlete Cormac Sampson as a prospect too good to pass on; his offer and commitment were less that 24 hours apart earlier this month. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, the standout from Eau Claire Memorial could play either tight end or defensive end for Wisconsin, though he spent most of his time catching passes at the Badgers' camp last weekend.