Wisconsin cashes in on 'dollar' target Raphael Dunn during official visit
One of the more unique prospects on Wisconsin's 2024 recruiting board committed to the Badgers during an official visit this weekend.
Raphael Dunn, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound defensive athlete, made his commitment to UW public on Sunday evening.
"I committed during the visit and I'm super excited about it," Dunn told BadgerBlitz.com. "The people at Wisconsin and other players who they had up for the visit made Madison the right place for me. The coaches were so awesome and they really made me feel wanted.
"From the head coach all the way down to the recruiting guys, everyone made Wisconsin feel special for me. I also love the academics there and I know I will get a great degree at Wisconsin."
A three-star prospect from Lawrence Senior High School, Dunn is being recruited as a defensive athlete by the UW coaching staff. Ideally, he projects to the dollar position, a hybrid safety/linebacker in Mike Tressel's defense.
"When I get there I'll play the dollar for them," Dunn said. "If I gain a bunch of weight they can move to outside linebacker or anywhere else that they need me on that defense. But they think I can play free safety, dollar or a linebacker off the edge. They think that I'll be another versatile member of that defense and I feel really valued in that scheme."
Dunn, who had 68 solo tackles, four interceptions and seven pass breakups as a junior, was also impressed with how head coach Luke Fickell treated his family this weekend.
"Coach Fickell wasn't really pushing for a commitment from us but he was saying all the right stuff at the right time," Dunn said. "He always made sure my family was good and taken care of, which was so important to me. Some coaches say it but they don't do it. He's a family man and he had a great time with the people I care about. That stood out to me."
Dunn, who was hosted by two safeties on the current roster, chose Wisconsin over offers from Illinois, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Virginia, among others. He is the 13th public commitment for the Badgers in this cycle.
"I was hosted by Austin Brown and Hunter Wohler," Dunn said. "They showed me the night life, which is important to me. It's good to be able to relax after a long practice. They showed me around campus and some of the places where they hang out a lot.
"Everything was real cool. I met with the coaches and they were awesome. It was such a great visit and everything was in line for me. Wisconsin is an amazing place. I'm so happy about to be done with recruiting. It's a huge weight lifted off my shoulders."
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