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 tight ends.
QUICK BREAKDOWN
The focus this offseason has been on replacing multi-year starter Jake Ferguson, who is now on the Dallas Cowboys roster. But during spring camp, almost the entire tight end group was limited due to injury. With that, it will be interesting to see how first-year position coach Chris Haering balances the depth chart during this fall. Jack Eschenbach, Clay Cundiff and Hayden Rucci are expected to be in the top tier, but Jaylan Franklin saw valuable reps during camp and the staff is also high on Cam Large, Cole Dakovich and Jack Pugh.
Things are just as murky for Wisconsin on the recruiting front. In June, the Badgers missed on top targets Chico Holt (Northwestern), Jackson Carver (Miami) and Zack Ortwerth (Iowa). As it stands right now, more offers will need to be extended if the staff wants to add a scholarship tight end in the 2023 class. Looking one year ahead, Haering has been selective with offers so far, though both prospects - Christian Bentancur and Grant Stec - have already taken unofficial visits to Madison.
OFFERED PROSPECTS
Grant Stec, a three-star prospect from Jacobs High School in Illinois, picked up an offer from Wisconsin during an unofficial visit in April. Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State and Tennessee, among others, are also on his scholarship sheet.
