Wisconsin Badgers add running back Antwan Roberts to 2021 class

Shortly after Wisconsin wrapped up a recruiting meeting Monday morning, the coaching staff received good news from a prospect who was discussed just moments earlier.

Antwan Roberts, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior from Pope John Paul II in Tennessee, made his commitment to the Badgers public on Tuesday. He is the 10th pledge for head coach Paul Chryst in the 2021 cycle.

"I am committing to the University of Wisconsin," Roberts told BadgerBlitz.com on Monday. "The coaches were all excited and happy. That morning they had a recruiting meeting and my name got brought up.

"I didn't know about that at the time, but I checked in with them today and told them I wanted to commit. They said they were really excited and they can't wait to get me up to Camp Randall."

Roberts, who rushed for 1,046 yards and 15 touchdowns in only eight games last fall, chose UW over scholarships from Cincinnati, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Missouri and Vanderbilt. He took his first visit to Wisconsin last fall for the Badgers' 45-24 win over Purdue.

"I took a visit to Wisconsin in November when they played Purdue," Roberts said. "I was there for a weekend and outside of all the football stuff, I saw the city and everything it had to offer. It was clean and I loved everything about it. Wisconsin offers everything I'm looking for in a school.

"When it comes to producing great running backs, Wisconsin has some of the best in the history of college football. So that was very intriguing. It feels great to have a chance to be mentioned with some of the great running backs Wisconsin has had. They all have their spot in the history of college football with the records they set. So I'm excited to get to work to be the next great one."

A three-star prospect, Roberts, who was recruited by assistant coach Bob Bostad, is the third projected running back for the Badgers in the junior class, along with Loyal Crawford and Jackson Acker. He has an official visit lined up in early June, should campuses open back up this summer.

"I already knew I was going to commit to Wisconsin before the start of the season, but the coronavirus did impact some other college visits I wanted to take," Roberts said. "I still do have an official visit to Wisconsin on June 5-7, but I'm not sure if that's still possible or not.

"Wisconsin thinks I'm the best at my position and that's why they wanted me in this class. My game has a lot to it and we run a similar offense to Wisconsin at my high school. The transition is going to be tough because the speed of the game is going to change a lot, but I feel like I can do a lot of the things they are looking for at Wisconsin. There are some similarities and I think it will be a good fit."

North Carolina, Utah and Tennessee, among others, were also showing late interest in Roberts prior to his commitment.

"I don't think I'll take any more visits besides Wisconsin," he said. "I'm 100 percent committed."