The Badgers landed their biggest recruit in the Class of 2026 over the weekend.
The Wisconsin Badgers got their biggest commitment yet, as four-star running back Amari Latimer verbally pledged to the program over the weekend after a long month.
Latimer, a native of Sandy, Creek, Georgia, had been Wisconsin’s No. 1 target regardless of position in the 2026 class, and had visited Madison twice in the past month before making his decision.
He had boasted an offer list that included nearly 50 schools, including the likes of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Ole Miss, Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, and others.
At the end, though, he’s joining his brother, cornerback Geimere Latimer II, in Madison, becoming the next big running back recruit for the Badgers.
With the commitment of Latimer, Wisconsin is adding to a young running back room that includes second-year players Dilin Jones, Darrion Dupree, and Gideon Ituka. They’ll be either redshirt sophomores or juniors when Latimer steps on campus next weekend.
What does Latimer bring to Wisconsin’s 2026 class?
Blue-chip talent
The Badgers had moved quickly in the cycle, landing five recruits during the first weekend of official visits. Things cooled off a little after that, but there were still notable adds, such as four-star wide receiver Zion Legree and three-star defensive back Zachary Taylor.
The one thing lacking, though, was the presence of blue-chip talent in Wisconsin’s 2026 class. Granted, it isn’t seen nationally as one of the stronger recruiting classes in recent years, so teams like the Badgers are going more off athleticism and projection.
But, Wisconsin hadn’t gotten that blue-chip talent in the building until… four-star wide receiver Jayden Petit closed off his recruitment last week. Petit, like Latimer, was a nationally sought-after recruit, holding over 30 scholarship offers, including ones from Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas A&M, among others.
He had also visited Wisconsin twice in the past month before committing, and ultimately rounded out the Badgers’ receiver room in the 2026 class.
But, Latimer was the biggest get, not only because of need, but also due to his ceiling. He’s a player who could very well rise up recruiting boards in his senior year, and is one of the biggest recruiting wins in the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin.
Need
Wisconsin needed a top running back in the 2026 class in a big way.
They had gone with the all-in approach last year, going only after four-star Florida running back Byron Louis. They had done a great job, competing with several in-state schools to make the Final 4, but Louis ultimately ended up at Florida.
They went with a similar approach this offseason with Latimer, canceling certain official visits with running backs to focus solely on the Georgia native.
Wisconsin needed a running back badly in the 2026 class. They didn’t have one in 2024, and already have a room without significant numbers (just four scholarship backs in 2025).
Latimer’s addition provides them a bona fide lead back in the future who can develop in his freshman year and gives stability at the position for years to come.
Wisconsin is utilizing the running back position heavily in offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes’s offense. That’s where a talent like Latimer can fit in.
Fickell’s future
With how the Badgers have done the past two years, recruiting is head coach Luke Fickell’s biggest asset right now.
And, even in a weaker overall 2026 class, the Badgers have managed to put together a strong offensive nucleus for the future. They got their quarterback, four-star Ryan Hopkins, who could be a riser this year, playing at California powerhouse Mater Dei.
They have their running back with Latimer’s commitment. The back seems like a great fit in the new offense, and was a big pull from a recruiting perspective.
And they won multiple recruiting battles for receivers, ending with a strong trio of four-star Jayden Petit, four-star Zion Legree, and three-star Tayshon Bardo.
Wisconsin needs upgrades and development at the skill positions in the future. This class (and a few previous classes) are providing the infrastructure for that.