Wisconsin adds Illinois senior TE Jack Eschenbach as preferred walk-on

Jack Eschenbach had scholarship offers from Western Illinois, Dayton and Cornell.

But a chance to play for Wisconsin was too much to pass on, as the 2018 tight end from Benet Academy in Illinois committed to the Badgers as a preferred walk-on Monday evening.

"I shot Wisconsin an e-mail sending all of my film - just any film that I had - and they loved them," Eschenbach told BadgerBlitz.com. "And then one of my long-time friends, David Edwards, who plays there, heard about that and he put in the good word for me. Then they invited me to a few games, which I couldn't make because we are still in the state playoffs, so they offered me over the phone.

"I love that Wisconsin is a huge school mixed with a great education. The football atmosphere is just something I've dreamed of since I was a kid. I also have two cousins that go there as well, and family members that are diehard Wisconsin fans who have season tickets."

At 6-foot-7, 205 pounds, the Badgers envision Eschenbach growing into a tight end down the road.

"Wisconsin likes my size and my speed because I have clocked in a 4.59-second 40-yard dash at a combine over the summer," said Eschenbach, who was also hearing from Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota. "I have not yet been able to visit Wisconsin because this all started during the season and we're still in the playoffs."

In the 2018 class, UW has commitments from projected scholarship tight ends Cormac Sampson and Jaylan Franklin.

"It is honestly very relieving," Eschenbach said. "This has been a very long process and I'm very thankful that I can play football at a school that I love."

In addition to Eschenbach, Wisconsin also has preferred walk-on commitments in the 2018 class from Marty Strey (LB), John Chenal (LB/FB), Andrew Lyons (OL) and Brady Schipper (RB/ATH).