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 2024 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.
Note: These reports will attempt to blend previous Wisconsin targets under Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard with new defensive linemen who have been identified by Luke Fickell and his staff.
Today, we continue with a look at the defensive linemen.
QUICK BREAKDOWN
One of the few certain things on the defensive line heading into 2023: Wisconsin will have to replace multi-year starter Keeanu Benton, who is headed to the NFL. As far as questions, two of the biggest are 1) Who will Luke Fickell announce as the new position coach with Ross Kolodziej headed to Stanford, and 2) Will starter Isaiah Mullens return for a sixth year? Having his younger brother, walk-on Manny Mullens, join the Badgers via the transfer portal could affect that decision.
Regardless of what Mullens elects to do, Wisconsin has two proven returners at end in Rodas Johnson and James Thompson. Behind them, however, is a collection players who need to take the next step in their development. On the inside, the depth reads Gio Paez and Curt Neal, but that could be a spot where the staff looks for immediate help through the portal.
On the recruiting front, Wisconsin did not sign a defensive lineman last Wednesday, something Luke Fickell touched on during his Signing Day availability.
“It gives me the heebie-jeebies a little bit,” Fickell told reporters. “There’s a little bit of an unsettling feeling not seeing two or three defensive linemen."
The Badgers, however, are working to change that in the next few weeks. Jamel Howard, a former commit, is still available, and the staff is looking for options both through the portal and in the group of unsigned seniors.
OFFERED TARGETS
Brandon Davis-Swain was on the receiving end of one of the first offers sent out by Wisconsin's new coaching staff. At the time, the four-star prospect was committed to Notre Dame but he backed away from that pledge on earlier this month.
From Rivals.com's Clint Cosgrove:
"As things stand today, the teams who are in position to benefit most are Michigan, Wisconsin, USC and a few other schools from the Big Ten and SEC that have piqued Davis-Swain's interest.
"This recruitment if far from over, and will likely go into his senior season or all of the way to next year's Signing Day. One thing is for sure, and that is Brandon Davis Swain will have plenty of suitors now that he has officially become a free agent."
