Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will be bringing you snapshots for each recruited position, covering the targets who are legitimate prospects on Wisconsin's board in the 2022 class. We will discuss the candidates who are most interested in the Badgers, as well as those who are considered long-shots to commit to UW.
As always, this is just a snapshot in time and things remain fluid. Additional offered targets will appear over the next few months and some recruits will inevitably choose other colleges.
Today, we continue with a look at the defensive linemen.
QUICK BREAKDOWN
First-year position coach Ross Kolodziej has a big task in front of him this spring as he looks to replace Garrett Rand and Isaiahh Loudermilk, multi-year starters at defensive end. Upperclassmen Matt Henningsen and Isaiah Mullens will likely be penciled in as starters for spring camp, but reps in the two-deep will be wide open behind them. From the 2020 class, Cade McDonald (19) and James Thompson (1) each saw reps last fall; Boyd Dietzen, Rodas Johnson and Gio Paez all have an important camp ahead of them.
On the inside, Keeanu Benton and Bryson Williams are both back in 2021. But after not taking a tackle in the last two recruiting classes, the position will be very important in the junior cycle.
CLASS OF 2022 DL NEEDS: 3/4 | CLASS OF 2022 DL COMMITS: 0
In November, Isaac Hamm, who is set to start his junior football season at Sun Prairie in a few days, released a top four of Wisconsin, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State. From that quartet, the Buckeyes have yet to offer.
"I would say that I still definitely feel great about that list and those are still definitely the top four schools on my list," Hamm told BadgerBlitz.com. "But there are some potential options that could lead to me opening my recruiting back up. I would say I want to wait until they offer before I share those, though.
"I definitely think that with what I’m doing in the offseason right now and what I’m doing in the classroom - and depending how I do my junior season - I think that’s (Ohio State) going to be one of the first ones to come. That would kind of put my mind to rest as far as my final four. I’d know I had all four of those and then it’s just finding the best fit for me. It would just help me to know that I had that last option because it’s a really great school."
