Wisconsin has missed out on a lot of recruits this summer. What’s next?
The Wisconsin Badgers have put together a 15-man recruiting class in the 2026 cycle so far, splashing big with four-star wide receiver Jayden Petit and four-star running back Amari Latimer.
However, they’ve also missed out on a few recruits during official visits, falling short at several positions, which has led to a smaller class than usual. Now, with how the 2026 class is generally seen as weaker than recent years, the Badgers were expected to take a smaller group in this cycle.
Still, Wisconsin hasn’t gotten as many recruits as they’d have hoped in the class so far, leading to a crucial fall. Which positions are the Badgers still targeting in the 2026 class?
Quarterback
The Badgers are done here. They got four-star quarterback Ryan Hopkins back in the spring, and he’s affirmed his commitment since.
Running Back
Wisconsin went all-out for four-star running back Amari Latimer, and it paid off as he committed to the program, joining his brother Geimere.
The Badgers went with a similar app
roach in 2024, targeting Florida four-star Byron Louis, but missed out. Things were different this time around, as they got a big blue-chip commitment.
Wide Receivers
Wisconsin had one of its best receiver classes in a long time, landing four-stars Jayden Petit and Zion Legree in addition to three-star Tayshon Bardo.
This was a major win for newly minted wideouts coach Jordan Reid, who built strong relationships in his first offseason on the job.
Tight Ends
Wisconsin closed out their room during the first weekend of official visits with commitments from three-stars Jack Janda and Jack Sievers.
They initially targeted a good number of tight ends in the class, but focused on those two coming into official visits. It didn’t take too long to secure the deal in the summer.
Offensive Line
The first shortcoming comes with the offensive line.
Wisconsin got two early commitments from three-stars Benjamin Novak and Maddox Cochrane, and has been looking for a third to join the class.
They seemed to be doing well for three-star Jalayne Miller, but he was surprised by committing to Stanford after his Wisconsin official visit. They also had four-stars Wilson Zierer and Kamari Blair, but were behind the 8-ball for both.
This seems like a position that Wisconsin will look to address in the fall with a late commitment or flip. The Badgers have good insurance with two five-man classes in the last two cycles, but getting another body in the room would be good for the 2026 class, given the amount of turnover that occurs in college football.
We’ll continue to update as the board grows in the fall with senior evals.