Wisconsin Badgers positional recruit snapshot: 2024 defensive linemen

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.

Today, we continue with a look at the defensive linemen.

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During spring camp, reporters saw a handful of different defensive fronts and alignments. Most often, though, the Badgers featured two linemen, with Isaiah Mullens and Rodas Johnson atop the depth chart. Behind them, James Thompson and Gio Paez were next up. The entire room is trying to make up for the production of Keeanu Benton, a multi-year starter who played 428 snaps and recorded 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 27 run stops in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus.

"Let's just call a spade, a spade. Here's where the numbers were and here's what we have returning in the room," position coach Greg Scruggs said. "Let me know if this looks good to you and if not, cool. Let's go put on the cleats and let's go to work.

"There was more of that kind of a call to action as opposed to looking at them and saying we have to be lot better. That's just the reality of it and hopefully it motivates the guys to want get better every day and not get comfortable with what we've shown."

The wild card this fall is Darian Varner, who missed all of spring camp due to injury. Last fall at Temple, he accumulated 35 tackles, 12.5 tackles loss and 7.5 sacks.

"He's a big, strong anchor guy who has long arms and is able to disrupt the offensive line," Scruggs said. "He can disrupt the line of scrimmage and also go get after the passer. I'm excited to get him back and get him healthy because then we can begin to hone the craft of a player that I believe has a pretty decent foundation."

On the recruiting front, Wisconsin is still looking for its first defensive line commit in the 2024 class. Scruggs, however, has a handful of intriguing prospects set to visit officially in June.

Penn State, Florida and Wisconsin are three schools to watch in Liam Andrews' recruitment heading into June. The Badgers hosted the four-star prospect this spring for an unofficial visit.