Two local prospects decided to walk-on with the Wisconsin football team on Wednesday.
Wisconsin has arguably one of the top walk-on traditions in college football. The Badgers have at least one former walk-on starter each season, including four full-time starters on offense/defense this year (S Collin Wilder, FB John Chenal, OG Josh Seltzer, DE Matt Henningsen).
On Wednesday, Wisconsin added two new preferred walk-on commitments from within the state that will look to become the next in a long line of success stories in Madison.
Proud to announce my commitment to the University of Wisconsin! #onwisconsin pic.twitter.com/iJF1rJdwp0
— Drew Evans (@drewber_evans) December 1, 2021
Early in the morning two-way lineman Drew Evans of Fort Atkinson took to Twitter to announce his commitment.
Projected by most to be an interior offensive lineman, Evans is a very smart and hardworking player. Standing 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds he will undoubtedly have to add to his frame when he gets on campus, but he was very productive for Fort Atkinson as a senior. Evans was recognized as a first-team All-Conference offensive tackle this past season, joining fellow Wisconsin tackle commit Barrett Nelson in the Badger Conference awards.
While Evans will probably start off as a guard/center when he gets on campus, he does move well and has the ability to play defensive tackle as well which makes him a versatile walk-on addition. He is listed as a 2-star prospect according to 247 Sports.
Shortly after Drew Evans made his intentions known, Baraboo senior Luna Larson shared announced his commitment to UW via social media as well. The talented quarterback/linebacker is one of the top prospects in the state and had multiple FBS and FCS scholarships on the table.
I want to thank all my coaches @BarabooFootbal1 , my teammates, and my family for their support over the years. Looking forward to continuing my academic and football career (PWO) at the University of Wisconsin. #OnWisconsin @CoachBostadUW @CoachAprilUW @CoachHaering pic.twitter.com/TpR7DZkHwy
— Luna Larson (@LunaLar06638257) December 1, 2021
Rated as a 3-star prospect according to 247 Sports, Larson is an intriguing player that did a little bit of everything for his high school team. A strong and athletic player, he is listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds and could project to multiple positions at the next level.
In watching his film and recruitment he reminds me a lot of former Wisconsin fullback Alec Ingold. While he did not receive a scholarship like Ingold, Larson has a similar background as a running quarterback that is a fast and attacking linebacker on the other side of the ball. Regardless of which side of the ball Larson ends up (fullback or linebacker) his choice to become a Badger should be celebrated by Wisconsin fans.
He opted to turn down scholarship opportunities from Air Force, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Georgetown, North Dakota, and roster spots with multiple Ivy League teams. Larson is not your traditional walk-on because he was under scholarship consideration for the Badgers earlier in the process, so it would not be a shock to see him become an impact player and earn a scholarship down the line given his intangibles and athletic ability.
Also hailing from the Badger Conference, Larson was recognized as the conference defensive player of the year and also made the first-team All-Conference teams on offense (quarterback) and defensive (linebacker).