Wisconsin football class of 2025 commit cornerback Rukeem Stroud flipped his commitment to the University of Central Florida on Monday afternoon.
Stroud originally committed to Wisconsin on June 1 after an official visit to the program. But he received an official offer from in-state UCF on Saturday and has flipped his commitment.
The four-star recruit is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 441 player in the class of 2025, No. 37 cornerback and No. 60 recruit from the state of Florida. He will play at UCF after receiving offers from top programs, including Wisconsin, USF, Colorado, Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas A&M and Utah.
The cornerback’s decommitment dropped Wisconsin’s class of 2025 to 20 total commitments. Two two cornerbacks remain in that group: three-star Jahmare Washington and three-star Jaimier Scott.
The Badgers’ class dropped one spot to No. 13 in 247Sports’ national rankings with the news, though it still stands No. 4 in the new Big Ten.
Business Decision đŻ @SteezoDsgn @TBTFootball @KevinHobbs_DC @tech813coach pic.twitter.com/6zo8gD8qJa
— Rukeem Stroud 4âď¸ (@rstroud06) June 24, 2024
With Stroud’s flipped commitment, Wisconsin lost its sixth-highest-ranked player in the class and highest-ranked cornerback.
In an era defined by player fluctuations and enticing name, image and likeness licensing opportunities, Stroud’s choice to remain close to home is certainly a disappointment to Badger fans.
On the bright side, Luke Fickell and company will look to add to its already-stellar class of 2025 with priority on top-ranked recruits Byron Louis (running back) and Hardy Watts (offensive tackle).