The 2020 recruiting class, which is now up to six commitments, is a big opportunity for the Wisconsin coaching staff. The talent level inside the state is high - 35 prospects currently have a Division 1 offer - and the Badgers are riding the momentum of a strong 2019 recruiting cycle.
Just 10 scholarship seniors are projected to graduate at the end of 2019, but there's a chance both Tyler Biadasz and Jonathan Taylor declare early for the NFL Draft. With that, the Badgers will be looking to add around 15 to 17 signees in this recruiting cycle.
Below is the third look 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 (1)
Tyler Van Dyke, who camped at Wisconsin this past summer and visited unofficially in December, is the Badgers' top quarterback target moving forward. The four-star prospect, who is expected to make his decision this spring, also has offers from Boston College, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Vanderbilt, among others. Three-star Parker McQuarrie was also in consideration but he made a recent commitment to UCLA.
Running back (1)
With Isaac Guerendo now working at running back, Wisconsin can probably get away with taking just one prospect at the position in the 2020 class. And with Reggie Love off the board to Illinois, DeaMonte Trayanum moves into the top spot. It will be difficult to get the three-star prospect out of Ohio, but the Badgers are currently sitting well in Trayanum's recruitment.
"Right now Ohio State and Wisconsin are the frontrunners," Trayanum told Rivals.com. "Right behind them it's Notre Dame, Penn State, and Michigan."
Wide receivers (2)
Receiver isn't a huge position of need for Wisconsin, and the Badgers could be set with an early commitment from in-state standout Chimere Dike. But the staff wouldn't turn away a potential commitment from Daniel Jackson, who took in a junior day in Madison this winter and will visit officially in June. Recent offers to Jalen Paxton, Parker Washington and Muhsin Muhammad, though, may indicate the staff wants two receivers in this class.
Tight end (1)
Because of limited numbers, Wisconsin may only be able to take one tight end in this class. Cam Large, who was offered this winter and visited earlier this month, may be atop the wishlist. TCU, Penn State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, West Virginia, LSU, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Nebraska and Ohio State, among others, are also involved in his recruitment. Clay Caudill and Luke Lachey are also strong options at the position.
Offensive linemen (4)
At a minimum, three commitments are already in for Wisconsin on the offensive line, a list that includes Trey Wedig, Dylan Barrett and Jack Nelson. If Ben Barten winds up at defensive end, the staff will likely look to add at least one more lineman to this class. And while there are a few national targets out there (ie. Josh Fryar), in-state tackle Gunnar Kilen could be someone who earns an offer at camp this summer. Army, Buffalo, Columbia, Dartmouth, Illinois State, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, Western Michigan and Yale, among others, have already extended scholarships to the standout from nearby Verona High School.
Defensive linemen (3)
Defensive line still has a lot of question marks this spring. The biggest could be where Ben Barten ends up, as both Joe Rudolph and Inoke Breckterfield are fighting for his services. Nash Hutmacher, who will visit officially in June, is a long-time target who is now being recruited as a defensive tackle. Cole Brevard is an ambitious name on this list, but the staff has done a great job so far in his recruitment. He is expected to be on campus at the end of the month. At defensive end, Rylie Mills is on campus this weekend and Aaron Lewis also has the Badgers in his top five.
Linebackers (3)
Cole Dakovich is already in the mix at outside linebacker, and the staff would love to pair him with Kaden Johnson, who is one of their top overall targets, regardless of position. Inside, Malik Reed, who visited for a junior day this winter and will be back on campus in June, has UW and Arizona atop his list of potential schools. Stefon Thompson is also worth watching moving forward and is someone who could visit officially this summer.
Cornerback (1)
Corner and safety are two positions the staff addressed well in the previous two recruiting classes. That said, coordinator Jim Leonhard could probably get away with taking just one defensive back in 2020. It's still early, but Sean Tucker, who was offered this winter, makes sense at this point. East Carolina, Massachusetts, Temple, Toledo, Virginia and West Virginia have also extended scholarships.
Safety (1)
Cameron Martinez, who visited unofficially earlier this month, could play either receiver or safety at the next level. Wisconsin gave the three-star prospect, who also has offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State and Penn State, the option to choose.
"They’ll take me either on offense or defense," Martinez told BadgerBlitz.com. "It’s up to me. I’ll play either or, I don’t really have a preference."