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 inside linebackers.
QUICK BREAKDOWN
One of biggest questions heading into the spring was how Wisconsin's inside linebackers would be used as the Badgers transitioned into a 3-3-5 look under coordinator Mike Tressel. While reporters saw that alignment at times during camp, UW also showed plenty of 3-4, 2-4-5 and dollar packages over 15 practices. With that, Maema Njongmeta and Jordan Turner are still expected to see plenty of reps, and Jake Chaney was also mentioned as a starter in the eyes of Tressel.
"He (Chaney) is pushing, I promise you that," Tressel said. "He's a good player. He's a No. 1, right? You can start saying, 'well how can there be more than two 1s?' But he's a 1 and he's really impressed me. He has the ability to be really heavy-handed where he shocks offensive linemen and you see them stumble back two yards, and the next play you see him slip them and make a play in the backfield. Having the ability to do both those things and having a feel for when to use each of those tools is really impressive. So he's a 1."
Behind those three, Tate Grass and Bryan Sanborn saw work with the No. 2 unit during camp. Tressel likely feels good about playing all five, though he stressed consistency this spring.
"We talk about how it's better to be consistently good than occasionally great," Tressel said. "When you're trying to be that 'splash playmaker,' what happens is you end up being occasionally great. You have to let it come to you."
On the recruiting front, the Badgers secured a commitment from in-state linebacker Landon Gauthier. UW doesn't have to add a second prospect in this cycle, but Tressel is still after a three-star junior from Tennessee.
COMMITTED PROSPECTS
This spring, Wisconsin secured a commitment from in-state linebacker Landon Gauthier, a three-star prospect from Bay Port High School. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior was also strongly considering Stanford at the time of his decision.
"His size and athleticism are incredible," Bay Port head coach Gary Westerman told BadgerBlitz.com. "Obviously he's going to start at linebacker for Wisconsin but with his size and frame, you just don't know what he's going to become.
"He's over a 500-pound squat, and to me that's impressive. As far as his 40 (yard dash), I don't know that off the top of my head and I don't want to give out bad information. But in terms of the weight room, he's as strong as we've ever had. When he runs a straight line, he's incredibly fast. Just a special kid."
