Three-star DT Jamel Howard decommits from Wisconsin

Interim head coach Jim Leonhard lost a big part of Wisconsin's 2023 recruiting class on Thursday morning.

Jamel Howard, a three-star nose guard from Marist High School in Chicago, announced his decision to back away from his commitment to the Badgers.

Howard, 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, announced his pledge to the Badgers in late June. He chose Wisconsin over offers from Illinois, Iowa State, Western Illinois and Central Michigan, among others schools.

"I think he really connected with Coach K (Ross Kolodziej), the defensive line coach at Wisconsin," Marist head coach Ron Dawczak told BadgerBlitz.com. "I think he made him feel really comfortable. Also their history of strong defensive play was a big factor in that decision. They've had great success for a long time on the defensive side of the ball, and being part of that tradition was very attractive for Jamel.

"He also wasn't in any rush to make a decision and he wanted to take a look at a couple different campuses. So he saw Wisconsin and he saw Illinois unofficially, and those visits helped him pull the trigger on a decision."

Howard and fellow Illinois defensive tackle Roderick Pierce III are headed to Michigan this weekend for official visits. Pierce III remains committed - at least publicly - heading into that trip.

With starter Keeanu Benton headed to the NFL after this season, defensive tackle is a big position of need for the Badgers in this cycle. In the spring of 2023, Gio Paez and Curt Neal are the only projected nose tackles returning for Kolodziej.

Howard is the second member of UW's 2023 class who has decommitted after Paul Chryst was fired this fall. Trech Kekahuna, a three-star wide receiver, reopened his recruitment earlier this month.

Wisconsin currently has 12 scholarship commitments in the current cycle.

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