Tag: Class of 2021

Does Hardy Watts’ commitment make Wisconsin’s class of 2025 its best OL class ever?

Does Hardy Watts’ commitment make Wisconsin’s class of 2025 its best OL class ever?

Wisconsin landed a commitment from top-ranked class of 2025 offensive lineman Hardy Watts on Monday.

Watts chose the Badgers over other finalists Michigan and Clemson. He is commitment No. 22 in the class of 2025, a group that now ranks No. 15 in the nation and No. 5 in the new Big Ten.

Related: Badgers fans react to Hardy Watts’ commitment, Wisconsin’s signature recruiting win

The Badgers earning the lineman’s commitment after a down-to-the-final-minute recruiting battle marks arguably the program’s biggest recruiting win of the Luke Fickell era. It is especially impressive when considering the context of Watts’ pedigree, his other finalists and Wisconsin’s desperate need for more blue-chip talent.

Monday was a defining day of Wisconsin’s class of 2025 recruiting cycle and should help the program in its pursuit of its remaining top targets.

Watts now leads a Wisconsin class of 2025 offensive line group that also includes four-star OT Logan Powell, three-star OT Nolan Davenport, three-star OT Michael Roeske and three-star OT Cam Clark. It is an impressive group that projects to help the program improve on its recent poor play at the position.

But one common reaction to Watts’ commitment was that his addition made it the program’s best offensive line class of all time. That, at least up to this point, is not the case.

Wisconsin class of 2025 offensive line commits (247Sports rating): Watts (0.9206), Powell (0.8976), Davenport (0.8776), Roeske (0.8878) and Clark (0.8714). That is good for an average player rating of 0.891 and 3.4 stars

Again, it is an impressive class that should lead to good on-field results from the position group in the coming years. But the group does not surpass that from Wisconsin’s program-best class of 2021.

Wisconsin class of 2021 offensive line commits (247Sports rating): five-star OT Nolan Rucci (0.9918), four-star OT Riley Mahlman (0.9379), four-star OT J.P. Benzschawel (0.9397). That group boasts an average player rating of 0.954 and 4.33 stars.

There are some who look back with the benefit hindsight and cite that Rucci never won a starting job and transferred to Penn State. But we are not comparing the best college careers, it’s a comparison of the best recruiting classes. For that comparison to mean anything it must ignore what the players do when they arrive on campus.

It will take several unforeseen commitments, including maybe a five-star, for Wisconsin’s class of 2025 offensive line group to surpass the 2021 trio.

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REPORT: Former 5-star RB Camar Wheaton unlikely to return to Alabama

The talented back is not likely to return to Alabama

Reports have begun to surface that former five-star running back prospect Camar Wheaton is no longer enrolled at Alabama and is unlikely to return to the Crimson Tide. The reason for Wheaton’s departure has not yet been released.

Wheaton was regarded as one of the top backs in the country when he signed with the Tide as a part of the 2021 class.

Due to a knee injury, Wheaton did not see any action as a true freshman in Tuscaloosa. Head coach Nick Saban last provided an update on Wheaton back in November. “Camar Wheaton’s still rehabbing,” Saban said. “He’s not on the field yet. He’s got a ways to go.”

Chris Hummer of 247Sports was the first to report on the news.

Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for all the latest on the Crimson Tide!

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

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Surprise journey lands Canadian wing Ethan Butler with Ducks for 2021 season

It has been a wild ride for Ethan Butler, but a mid-August workout with Eugene Omoruyi convinced him (and Oregon) to pair up ahead of the 2021-2022 season.

 

The Oregon men’s basketball squad landed another commitment in the class of 2021, with Canadian prospect Ethan Butler committing to the Ducks on Monday afternoon.

Butler took a very unique path to get to Eugene, coming from Canada and hardly generating much interest in schools stateside.

The six-foot-six, 205 pounder with a seven foot wingspan looks the part, but a lack of hype during his time in Canada – coupled with missing what likely would have been his breakout season due to the pandemic – had Butler paying his own way into the Jane & Finch Classic, a popular Canadian basketball tournament which took place in early August.

Butler’s performance at the tournament earned the attention of Yusuf Ali, a new assistant coach at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. From there, Butler was able to work out with former Oregon star Eugene Omoruyi as well as Oregon State alumni Malcolm Duvivier and Maurice Calloo.

Once Butler proved he could hold his own against solid Pac-12 talent, Ali began working the phones and got interest from a variety of schools; including Eastern Michigan, Lehigh, Miami (Ohio), Ohio, Princeton, and Western Michigan.

Eventually though it was Oregon assistant coach Mike Mennenga who rose above the rest and piqued Butler’s interest in coming to Eugene.

“Coach Mike Mennenga is my guy,” Butler said. “I love him. He’s high energy – always checked up on me. He’s got an amazing personality. Much love for that guy.”

A visit in September was enough to convince Butler to commit to Oregon with the hopes of becoming the next great Canadian to play for the Ducks, after Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher, and of course Omoruyi.

Butler stands out for his ability on the defensive side of the floor, where his length and athleticism gives him the ability to guard all five positions.

“I definitely want to make a statement on defense and become a first-team all-defense guy,” he said. “I want to lead the team in blocks. I know they have a lot of big men and I’m a guard or a wing, but I want to make a statement on defense. I want to work hard every day and get better than I was the day before.”

Butler will be eligible this season and will arrive on campus shortly. He joins a crowded group of wings on Dana Altman’s squad, but he has certainly proven he’s not a player to be counted out.

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‘The wait is over!’ Cowboys legend Drew Pearson revels in Hall of Fame moment

The legendary wide receiver gave an impassioned acceptance speech, spotlighting teammates and coaches while reminding everyone where he was. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Drew Pearson, the legendary wide receiver for the Cowboys of the 1970s and early ’80s, admitted last week that he’s been mistakenly introduced as a Hall of Famer for years. His stats and place in the league’s history have certainly warranted his place there ever since retiring from the game in 1983.

But now that Pearson can officially be called a member of the club, he was clearly excited to, as he put it, “wear it out.” Pearson said the words “Pro Football Hall of Fame” 15 times (and added the abbreviated “Hall of Fame” another eight times) in just 11 minutes at the mic at Tom Benson Stadium on Sunday evening.

Pearson’s long wait- and near-misses- for making the Hall had been well-documented, making his speech one of the most anticipated of the weekend. And the fiery Pearson didn’t disappoint, shouting, “The wait is over!” to open his remarks; spotlighting his bronze bust for having “the biggest Afro in NFL history;” pulling up his pant legs to show off the skinny legs that carried him all the way to Canton; even taking a friendly dig at fellow Hall of Famer Mike Ditka.

After paying tribute to Cowboys founding fathers like Clint Murchison, Tex Schramm, and Gil Brandt, the original member of the 88 Club honored many of his star teammates and coaches by name for the role they each played in his football journey. Ditka, a former Cowboys standout before going on to become the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl-winning coach, got a special mention.

“Thank you, Mike Ditka, my first receivers coach in the NFL,” Pearson said. “Mike was an All-Pro tight end, which means he taught me nothing about running pass routes as a wide receiver.”

The crowd ate it up.

“But, Mike,” he continued, “you taught me how not to just be a pro, but be a professional. And you did that by the passion you showed and that you brought to the Dallas Cowboys.”

Pearson, as expected, brought plenty of passion to his enshrinement remarks, just as he had to his playing days. He spent considerable time thanking his family members, both those in attendance and those who were, in his words, “gone too soon.”

But he also took the occasion to give a shout-out to a relative unknown named Otto Stowe. Stowe was a wide receiver who played just seven games for the Cowboys in 1973, Pearson’s debut season in the league. Pearson emulated Stowe early that year, and it was Stowe’s season-ending injury that opened the door for Pearson to start as a rookie and never give the job back.

“I learned so much from you, Otto,” Pearson said Sunday. “And I would not be here today without you.”

But the person Pearson is most closely linked to professionally is his longtime quarterback, Roger Staubach. Staubach presented Pearson Sunday night, the culmination of a prolific pairing that’s most famously remembered for the 50-yard touchdown versus Minnesota in the 1975 playoffs that served as the NFL’s original “Hail Mary” pass play.

But Pearson was a key figure in several other Cowboys milestone moments, too. He snagged the opening touchdown in Super Bowl X. He threw the final block that sprang Tony Dorsett on his record-setting 99-yard touchdown run in 1983. He caught the game-winning touchdown from Clint Longley in the team’s famous 1974 Thanksgiving comeback. And were it not for a one-handed horse-collar tackle, Pearson would likely have negated Dwight Clark’s “The Catch” in 1981’s NFC Championship Game with a late catch and run into field goal range.

But it’s the Hail Mary that has largely defined Pearson’s career over the years, the moment most fans want to talk about, the photo that he most often signs. Even though Staubach coined the term, Pearson is the one who personalizes his autographs with “Hail Mary to you.”

And that’s how he signed off his enshrinement speech.

“There’s so many special people in my life, but my time has run out. I don’t have a Hail Mary in my pocket, so I’ve got to wrap this up… Hail Mary blessings to you all.”

Pearson may be best remembered for that one miracle catch, but he racked up 555 others over his 11-year career. The Hail Mary was only one score; there were 55 others. And after 8,927 receiving yards (regular and postseason combined), three Super Bowl appearances, three Pro Bowls, three All-Pro nods, a spot on the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team, and a place in the Cowboys Ring of Honor, Pearson can now add “Hall of Famer” to his resume.

Judging by how often he visibly enjoyed saying it Sunday night, that may well be how he signs autographs for the rest of his life.

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Jersey numbers released for every incoming Wisconsin Badger

Wisconsin’s incoming recruiting classes, in both football and basketball, have arrived on campus. For the basketball group, there is a lot

Wisconsin’s incoming recruiting classes, in both football and basketball, have arrived on campus.

For the basketball group, there is a lot of work to be done for the program to get back to the top of the Big Ten Conference.

We’ve already outlined what the team’s rotation will look like, who the incoming recruits are and where the team falls in the current conference power rankings.

Now, released earlier today, here are the jersey for each member of Wisconsin’s class of 2021:

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LOOK: Wisconsin’s highest-ranked recruiting class in program history arrives on campus

Wisconsin’s class of 2021 finished ranked No. 16 in the country and No. 3 in the Big Ten. It is, by a wide margin, the highest-ranked class

Wisconsin’s class of 2021 finished ranked No. 16 in the country and No. 3 in the Big Ten. It is, by a wide margin, the highest-ranked class the program has ever welcomed onto campus.

With a few members of the class having already arrived for spring practice, the rest of the class is now on campus and ready to work.

Pictured is the future of the Wisconsin football program. Or even, to be honest, the present.

It won’t be long until we start hearing these players’ names called as significant contributors to some really good Wisconsin football teams.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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Wisconsin class of 2021 signee Jackson Acker shatters a Verona discus record

Wisconsin football commits aren’t only setting records and earning accolades on the high school football field. Class of 2021 signee Jackson

Wisconsin football commits aren’t only setting records and earning accolades on the high school football field.

Class of 2021 signee Jackson Acker just set a mark in discus, breaking a 27-year-old school record.

Acker is the No. 5 recruit in the state of Wisconsin in the class of 2021 and the No. 38-ranked athlete.

Related: WATCH: Wisconsin signee Jackson Acker rips a 70-yard TD run vs. Middleton

The future Badger tore it up at the running back position at Verona High School. With his athletic profile and the number of backs in the Wisconsin program, though, Acker could end up switching positions when he arrives in Madison.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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247 Sports analyst includes Kalen King among 100 freshmen who could have impact in 2021

A 247 Sports analyst has included Penn State’s top freshman on a list of the 100 freshmen who could have an impact on the 2021 season.

The transition from spring football to full-blown preseason coverage for the upcoming college football season is well underway. With kickoff times being announced and preseason All-Big Ten teams being released, the anticipation for the 2021 season is building. And a look at what Penn State brings into the new season suggests the Nittany Lions could be primed for a bit of a rebound season after a difficult 2020 outcome. While many of the key players will look familiar to a season ago, the influx of new potential in the Class of 2021 offers something else to look forward to.

One of the standouts from the freshman class during the spring was easily Kalen King. So it was no wonder King was named on a list compiled by 247 Sports analyst Chris Humer of the 100 true freshmen who will have an impact on the 2021 college football season.

Here’s what Humer had to say about King;

There’s an argument to be made that King had the strongest spring of any true freshman — anywhere. King, a four-star prospect from Detroit power Cass Technical High School, led Penn State in takeaways this spring. He was so good that James Franklin said this on April 14: “Kalen King is probably the most advanced freshman that we have had since we’ve been here in terms of his ability to practice and compete, both physically and mentally.”

A few days later, King made a pick-six on the opening drive of Penn State’s open scrimmage. King is a lock for the Nittany Lions’ cornerback rotation and could push his way into the starting lineup.

The quick establishment of King as a potential piece of the Penn State defense has afforded Penn State some possible flexibility in the defensive secondary. Penn State appears to be deep enough at the cornerback and safety positions that it has allowed James Franklin to dabble in having Marquis Wilson play as a wide receiver, if not finding him ways to play on both sides of the football. Between the return of Tariq Castro-Fields, Jonathan Sutherland, Joey Porter Jr., and King, Penn State appears to have some solid options to work with at the cornerback position.

But if King can prove to have the same kind of big-play potential against live opponents that he showed in the spring practices and scrimmages, he may have a pretty significant role in the Penn State defense before too long.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

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Wisconsin offers Pennsylvania’s No. 1 player in the class of 2023

The Wisconsin football program went back to the state of Pennsylvania earlier today and offered class of 2023 athlete Rodney Gallagher—his

The Wisconsin football program went back to the state of Pennsylvania earlier today and offered class of 2023 athlete Rodney Gallagher—his state’s No. 1-ranked recruit and one of the best overall players in the class.

Specifically, Gallagher is 247Sports‘ No. 40 recruit in the class of 2023 and the No. 5 athlete.

Other notable schools on the Uniontown, Pennsylvania native’s offer sheet include Michigan State, Michigan, Penn State, Pittsburgh, NC State and West Virginia.

The Badgers had some recent success recruiting in Pennsylvania, landing class of 2021 five-star OT Nolan Rucci. We’ll see if their push for Gallagher amounts to another big-time Pennsylvania recruit choosing the Badgers.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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