With Wisconsin's 2025 recruiting class now in the books, BadgerBlitz.com will be bringing you snapshots in the following cycle for each recruited position, covering the targets who are legitimate prospects on Wisconsin's board in the 2026 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 safeties.
QUICK SAFETY BREAKDOWN
With Alex Grinch now the defensive coordinator at Central Florida, Luke Fickell is currently in the market for a new safeties coach. That assistant will inherit six newcomers: two potential starters from the portal - Matt Jung and Matthew Trayor - and four signees - Remington Moss, Grant Dean, Jaimier Scott and Luke Emmerich - from the 2025 class.
The unit will have to replace multi-year starter Hunter Wohler, a leader for the program on the field and in the locker room. Braedyn Moore (Toledo) and Kamo'i Latu (UConn) also left via the portal, but the Badgers do bring back starter Preston Zachman for a sixth season. Austin Brown and Owen Arnett could be Wisconsin's top options in the slot. Raphael Dunn, Charlie Jarvis and Jackson Trudgeon round out the depth.
After signing four safeties this month, the position won't be a significant emphasis in 2026.
FOUR TO WATCH: TOP 2026 SAFETY PROSPECTS
Kaden Gebhardt is likely at the top of Wisconsin's 2026 safety board. The Badgers sent out an early offer and got the three-star prospect on campus no less than three times since March.
"I’m in contact with Coach (Alex) Grinch quite a bit," Gebhardt told BadgerBlitz.com. "We’re building a great relationship together over the phone, and it was great to see him in person. Things keep getting stronger with us.
"The coaches told me to keep working hard and that they think I’m a really good fit at Wisconsin. They see me as a free safety in that defense and I got to see how that position looks during their practice. That was good to see."
A recent offer from Ohio State, though, likely put the Buckeyes ahead in Gebhardt's recruitment.
