Tag: 247Sports

Where the Badgers’ 2022 recruiting class stands after landing four-star safety Braelon Allen

Last week the Badgers picked up their first commit in the class of 2022 in four-star safety Braelon Allen…

Last week the Badgers picked up their first commit in the class of 2022 in four-star safety Braelon Allen.

The Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin native is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 160 recruit in the country, No. 8 at his position and No. 3 from the state of Wisconsin.

The 2022 recruiting push is a bit far off in the distance, so many top programs have yet to land any recruits in the class.

Nevertheless, Paul Chryst’s current class of 2022 national ranking is a welcome sight to see as Allen singlehandedly has the class at No. 10 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten.

With the class of 2021 currently at No. 14 in the nation and set to be the highest-ranked class in program history, it’s clear Chryst and his staff have momentum on the recruiting trail and are taking steps towards competing with the nation’s top programs both on the football field and on the recruiting trail.

 

For everything Wisconsin recruiting and the class of 2021 check out the 2021 commitment tracker and follow @thebadgerswire, @benzkenney and @alow_33 on Twitter.

 

Sunday Big 12 morning rush: Headlines from around the conference

The top stories from around the Big 12 Conference courtesy of the Oklahoman, 247Sports and ESPN.

Each morning Longhorns Wire scours the web for the top Big 12 headlines from around the conference. Today’s stories are courtesy of the Oklahoman, 247Sports and ESPN.

Continue reading “Sunday Big 12 morning rush: Headlines from around the conference”

2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Anthony Richardson

This is a prospect player profile for dual-threat quarterback Anthony Richardson of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Anthony Richardson

Position: Dual-Threat Quarterback

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 224 lbs

Hometown: Gainesville, Fla.

High School: Eastside High School

Twitter: @GVOaant

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

Playing his high school football in Gainesville for the Eastside Rams, Richardson’s electric combination of arm strength and mobility earned him a four-star rating from the 247Sports Composite, which also named him the No. 9 dual-threat quarterback in the 2020 class.

A four-year contributor for the Rams, he totaled 6,266 yards (4,633 passing, 1,633 rushing) and 78 touchdowns (41 rushing, 37 passing) during his prep career. As a senior, he threw for 1,398 yards and eight scores, while adding another 151 yards and seven trips to the end zone on the ground, before his campaign was cut short by a right (throwing) shoulder injury after just six games.

Committing well before his senior season began, on April 6, 2019, Richardson does not appear to have any lingering effects from this wound, as he signed his National Letter of Intent (LOI) during the Early Signing Period on December 18 and enrolled early enough to participate in Florida’s Capital One Orange Bowl practices, a game in which they defeated the Virginia Cavaliers, 36-28.

Interestingly, Richardson spent his final year of high school being followed by a camera crew for the Netflix series “QB1: Beyond the Lights.”

Entering the 2020 season, the local product projects to be the third quarterback on the Gators’ depth chart, behind redshirt senior Kyle Trask and redshirt sophomore Emory Jones.

Considered a raw prospect by many, the cancellation of spring practices because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was not an event that would seem to favor Richardson’s development, but he has all the tools to star for the program in the next couple of years.

Following the exhaustion of Trask’s collegiate eligibility, the 2021 quarterback battle is already shaping up to be mighty interesting.

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Twitter reaction from four-star safety Braelon Allen’s commitment

Four-star 2022 safety Braelon Allen became the first member of the Badgers’ class of 2022 last night as he announced that he was…

Four-star 2022 safety Braelon Allen became the first member of the Badgers’ class of 2022 last night as he announced that he was “staying home” and committing to play for the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin native is the No. 166-ranked recruit in his class, No. 6 at his position and the No. 4 recruit from the state of Wisconsin.

Here’s what Badger players, coaches and recruits had to say on Twitter after Allen announced his commitment.

 

First, the introduction of the new class of 2022 hashtag by many of the program’s top recruiters.

 

Next, recruits and underclassmen expressed their excitement to play with the future Badger.

 

Finally, a tweet that warrants speculation as four-star class of 2022 defensive end Isaac Hamm–the No. 12 recruit at his position and the No. 3 recruit from the state of Wisconsin–chimed in on the news.

 

For everything Wisconsin recruiting follow @thebadgerswire, @benzkenney and @alow_33 on Twitter.

 

No. 1 QB Quinn Ewers talks his recruitment and Longhorns connection

Quinn Ewers caught up with 247Sports about his recruitment. The No. 1 QB talked about OC Mike Yurcich and his family connection to UT.

Recruiting is a never-ending cycle for college football teams, no matter how young or old a prospect is. While the Longhorns have yet to wrap up their 2021 class, all eyes are on an in-state prospect who just finished his sophomore year in high school.

Coming out of Southlake Carroll, Quinn Ewers, the No. 1 quarterback and No. 2 high school player in the country, is following a rich tradition of quarterbacks to play for the Dragons. Chase Daniel, Greg McElroy, Riley Dodge, Kenny Hill have all suited up for the Fort Worth suburb.

Nearly 30 schools have offered the young phenom with the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Ohio State, and Oklahoma joining Texas in their pursuit of Ewers.

The quarterback caught up with 247Sports and talked about his recruitment, what his connection to Texas is, and his relationship with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.

“Coach Yurcich, he’s really cool,” Ewers said. “He’s really smart. I’ve talked to him quite a bit. He’s easy to talk to. Cool guy.”

Landing a commitment from Ewers would be a major win for Yurcich and the offense. With the scheme changing from Tim Beck’s offense, the Longhorns are expected to air it out more often.

That could suit Ewers, as he threw for over 4,000 yards, 45 touchdowns, and only three interceptions as a sophomore.

The post-Sam Ehlinger era is already looking good, with Casey Thompson, Hudson Card, and Ja’Quinden Jackson ready to compete for a top spot in 2021.

If he were to commit to Texas, Ewers would more than likely have to earn a starting role in 2022 from one of the three aforementioned players, but that is no different than any other school he could choose to attend.

As for his connection with the Longhorns throughout his life, Ewers says he grew up cheering for Texas.

“My whole family is Longhorns. That’d be pretty cool. I have family near Austin. They would all come to games. I have family in New Braunfels which isn’t too far and a bunch more family down South, that’s where we originally moved from. This year they have to amp it up a little bit. I’m excited to see what they can do this year.”

Of course, there are other schools after the soon to be five-star prospect, from both the Big 10 and SEC.

“Ohio State, I talk to them the most,” Ewers told 247Sports this week. “Auburn still with Coach (Chad) Morris. Texas, Michigan a little bit, Oklahoma, there’s a few more.”

Ohio State has recruited the state of Texas really well, landing three five-star recruits from the state in the past two seasons. Ryan Day has morphed the Buckeyes from a Big 10 powerhouse to a national powerhouse and affront the College Football Playoff discussion year in and year out.

As for arch-rival Oklahoma, everyone knows how well Lincoln Riley can recruit and develop a quarterback. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts were all top picks in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.

Former five-star Spencer Rattler is expected to start this season while 2021 five-star and top quarterback in the class Caleb Williams is in waiting.

A real dark horse in the recruitment could be Auburn and offensive coordinator Chad Morris. The former Arkansas head coach knows the state of Texas from his time in Fayetteville and has already seen success in the 2021 class with quarterback Dematrius Davis and former Texas commit tight end Landen King.

“Obviously they’re one of the most watched football teams every year,” Ewers said. “Just that moment and playing for Auburn with all their fans and millions watching online, it’s crazy to think about playing in front of that big of crowd and atmosphere, it’s just crazy.”

Ewers even had a visit planned down to the Plains before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The battle for the best high school player in the country is far from over. From a Texas perspective, a couple of successful years and the full development of Sam Ehlinger could help Ewers lean towards the Longhorns.

Tom Herman and Mike Yurcich will have to fend off some of the best programs in the country, including Alabama, Ohio State, and Oklahoma.

With Herman’s recruiting pride and joy being the state of Texas, landing highly rated in-state blue-chip players is a must. Especially when they are not only ranked inside the top five nationally but are at the most important position in football.

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A Notre Dame July Bowl Projection because why not?

We don’t know much about what the next college football season will look like but we do know it will be something none of us have ever seen before. It may seem a bit far-fetched but why not have some fun and take a peak at a Notre Dame bowl projection that was recently released.

As we’ve seen in the last few days the college football season is very much up in the air as conferences continue to announce they’re only playing themselves this fall.

We don’t know much about what the next college football season will look like but we do know it will be something none of us have ever seen before.

With that preface, 247Sports recently released their July edition of bowl projections and whatever formula they used for schedules, they have Notre Dame headed to what has been a fairly regular destination of late.

It falls short of the College Football Playoff that Notre Dame fans clearly desire but it’s still a marquee game against a marquee opponent.  The projection you ask?

Fiesta Bowl vs. Oregon

Although the specific bowl game doesn’t thrill me since we’ve all seen them already play there a bunch, the match-up certainly does.  Oregon enters the year with high expectations after a Rose Bowl win and top five finish last season.  If it’s not the College Football Playoff, it doesn’t get much better than this for the Irish.

It would be Notre Dame’s sixth ever appearance in the Fiesta Bowl which would move it to the second most common bowl game in Irish history as they’ve played in the Cotton Bowl eight times.  Notre Dame has also played in the Orange Bowl five times to date.

The game, as impossible as it may feel to happen this season, would mark just the third meeting between Notre Dame and Oregon.  The Irish blanked the Ducks 41-0 in their 1976 meeting in South Bend before the two played to a 13-13 tie in Eugene, in 1982.

 

Three-star 2021 cornerback on the Badgers’ radar nearing his commitment decision

Three-star 2021 cornerback Robert Regan spoke to 247Sports yesterday and discussed his recruitment and the timetable of his commitment…

Three-star 2021 cornerback Robert Regan spoke to 247Sports yesterday and discussed his recruitment and the timetable of his commitment announcement.

“I don’t know the exact date, I’m still working things out but there’s a good chance it will be later this week, maybe by Friday,” Regan told 247Sports. “I’ve enjoyed the process and gotten to know some great coaches but I think I’m ready to do this.”

The California native is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 499 recruit in the class, the No. 35 cornerback and the No. 44 prospect from his state.

Schools in the running for the Orange Lutheran High School defender include Arizona State, Boise State, Kansas, Utah and Wisconsin.

Here’s what Regan had to say about Wisconsin and his visits to Madison:

“I visited Wisconsin twice and loved both trips. I was there in March for their Elite Day and it was a great experience. I camped there last June too so I have a great feel for the school and the overall environment. I really like coach Leonard, the DC a lot. He runs a great defense and I fit in really well with their schemes.

“I have a super good comfort level there with not just the coaches but the players too. On that last visit, I was able to talk with a ton of the guys on the team as well as some other players in my recruiting class. The family feel and culture there is incredible. I know every place you go talks about a family environment but you can really feel that at Wisconsin and it’s easy to see why they’re so successful every year.”

Though he spoke glowingly about Madison and the Wisconsin football program each of the crystal ball projections have the cornerback choosing to play for Herman Edwards at Arizona State.

Three-star cornerback Ricardo Hallman is currently the only player at the position in the Badgers’ 2021 class so the addition of Regan would be a significant one for Paul Chryst, Jim Leonhard and the Wisconsin program.

The wait will soon be over as from what the California native told 247Sports it seems the decision will come some time later this week.

 

For everything Wisconsin recruiting and the class of 2021 check out the 2021 commitment tracker and follow @thebadgerswire, @benzkenney and @alow_33 on Twitter.

2020 Gators Football Recruiting Profile: Antwaun Powell

This is a prospect player profile for defensive end Antwaun Powell of the Florida Gators football recruiting class of 2020.

Name: Antwaun Powell

Position: Defensive End

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 234 lbs

Hometown: Portsmouth, Va.

High School: Indian River High School

Twitter: @TwaunPowell

247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐

Overview:

The Florida Gators reached into Old Dominion for Powell, securing the four-star’s commitment on June 26, 2019.

Playing his high school football for the Indian River Braves in Chesapeake, Powell was rated as the No. 10 weak-side defensive end in the class and a top-three player in the state, per the 247Sports Composite.

Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 234 pounds, he displayed excellent burst off the line of scrimmage during his prep days and has room to add size to his current frame.

One thing worth keeping an eye on with Powell, however, is the two surgeries he has had on the same shoulder, the first in the fall of 2018 and the second last November. Playing a position as physical as defensive end, Gator fans should hope these problems do not continue at the collegiate level.

Injury concerns aside, he was one of the most sought-after pass-rushers in the class, choosing Florida over the Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, North Carolina Tar Heels, Oklahoma Sooners, and Virginia Tech Hokies, who are located roughly five years northwest of Chesapeake in Blacksburg.

Signing his National Letter of Intent (LOI) during December’s Early Signing Period, Powell enrolled early in January, allowing himself to become familiar with his coaches, teammates, and life as a Southeastern Conference (SEC) student-athlete before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic threw a wrench in things.

He is one of two listed defensive ends in the class for the Gators, joining Princely Umanmielen, a fellow four-star from Manor, Texas. Fort Lauderdale’s Derek Wingo is officially listed as an outside linebacker, but projects to play the hybrid BUCK position for defensive coordinator Todd Grantham in Gainesville.

Powell is the seventh-highest rated of Florida’s 21 enrollees in the 2020 cycle and the fifth-highest on the defensive side of the football.

Due to his frame and quickness, he profiles as a multi-year starter for Grantham and defensive line coach David Turner.

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Highlights from 2021 commit Chucky Hepburn’s Jammin’ in July opener

Evan Flood of 247Sports was on the Wisconsin basketball beat yesterday as he attended the opening round of Jammin’ in July–an AAU…

Evan Flood of 247Sports was on the Wisconsin basketball beat yesterday as he attended the opening round of Jammin’ in July–an AAU basketball tournament in Ames, Iowa–to watch three-star class of 2021 commit Chucky Hepburn and Team Factory face off against Minnesota Heat.

Hepburn is one of three commits in Greg Gard’s class of 2021 and is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 134 recruit in the country, the No. 20 point guard and the No. 2 player from his home state of Nebraska.

The Bellevue, Nebraska native chose the Badgers over Creighton, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and others and is a pivotal piece in what is shaping up to be an impressive 2021 class for Gard and his staff.

The Wisconsin commit finished the contest with 23 points and five assists as his team fell to Minnesota Heat in a “hard-fought game.”

Here are the highlights from Hepburn’s appearance.

Four-star 2021 linebacker with the Badgers in his top-4 sets his commitment date

Class of 2021 four-star outside linebacker Yanni Karlaftis–a recruit with the Badgers in his final four schools–announced yesterday…

Class of 2021 four-star outside linebacker Yanni Karlaftis–a recruit with the Badgers in his final four schools–announced yesterday that he will be committing on August 9.

The West Lafayette, Indiana native is the No. 236 recruit in the class of 2021, the No. 16 outside linebacker and the No. 2 player from the state of Indiana.

As seen above, the final schools on Karlaftis’ radar are Wisconsin, Purdue, Oregon and Cal.

247Sports’ current crystal ball prediction gives Purdue a 57.1 percent chance to sign the linebacker–the school where his older brother George is currently playing–and the Badgers a 42.9 percent chance.

Karlaftis choosing the Badgers would be the next in a long line of impressive recruits in the class of 2021 to commit to Wisconsin, most notably four-star defensive end T.J. Bollers, four-star safety Hunter Wohler, four-star tight end Jack Pugh and four-star offensive tackles J.P. Benzschawel and Riley Mahlman.

The class currently stands at No. 14 in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten, a ranking that is in line to be the best the program has had since the online ranking era began.

 

For everything Wisconsin recruiting and the class of 2021 check out the 2021 commitment tracker and follow @thebadgerswire on Twitter.