Tag: Class of 2026

Wisconsin makes final schools for coveted class of 2026 safety

Wisconsin makes final schools for coveted class of 2026 safety

The Wisconsin Badgers made the top four schools for highly-touted class of 2026 safety Kaden Gebhardt on Tuesday.

The Badgers cracked Gebhardt’s final crop of schools alongside Ohio State, Penn State and Clemson. He becomes the third top-ranked prospect to include the Badgers in his list of finalists dating back to Jan. 25, joining four-star offensive linemen Tyler Merrill and Carter Scruggs.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive playmaker received his offer from UW back on Feb. 2, 2024. The Badgers were one of his first Power Four offers at the time.Since then, the Olentangy High School product received offer 20 offers from programs including Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri, Ole Miss, Nebraska, USC, OSU and PSU.

247Sports considers Gebhardt the No. 216 overall recruit in the class of 2026, the No. 17 safety and the No. 8 prospect from his home state of Ohio. Through 11 games with Olentangy in 2024, Gebhardt tallied 94 total tackles, 32 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, five pass deflections and two interceptions.

As of Jan. 28, Penn State appears to be the favorite to land the talented defender. On3’s recruiting prediction machine gives the Nittany Lions a 68.2% chance to earn a commitment. Zero Rivals nor 247Sports insiders have released forecasts for where he’ll land.

Still, Wisconsin’s inclusion in the top four is an indication of the Badgers’ recruiting efforts. The team landed in Gebhardt’s zone of interest months before all three of his other finalists entered the race.

As of Jan. 28, UW’s class of 2026 features one commitment from three-star offensive lineman Benjamin Novak.

Wisconsin makes final schools for top-150 class of 2026 offensive tackle

Wisconsin makes final schools for top-150 class of 2026 offensive tackle

The Wisconsin Badgers made the top 12 schools for top-ranked class of 2026 offensive tackle Carter Scruggs on Sunday.

The Badgers cracked Scruggs’ list of finalists alongside Oregon, Oklahoma, USC, Clemson, Michigan, Alabama, Virginia Tech, Miami, Penn State, South Carolina and Georgia.

Scruggs becomes the second top-rated offensive lineman to include the Badgers in his list of finalists in the last week, joining four-star offensive lineman Tyler Merrill.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound playmaker received his offer from UW on Dec. 4 — the same day as its early signing day for its class of 2025. 247Sports considers Scruggs the No. 134 overall recruit in the class, the No. 8 iOL and the No. 5 prospect from his home state of Virginia.

As of Jan. 26, Penn State appears to be the favorite to land the four-star recruit. On3’s recruiting prediction machine gives the Nittany Lions an 84% chance to earn a commitment, plus three Rivals insiders have released forecasts in early November projecting that exact conclusion.

Still, Wisconsin’s inclusion in the top 12 suggests Luke Fickell’s program is alive in the recruiting race. Big Ten powers Michigan, Oregon and PSU stand in the way, but the program’s history in producing some of the sport’s greatest offensive linemen should factor in to Scruggs’ decision.

As of Dec. 4, UW’s class of 2026 features one commitment from three-star iOL Benjamin Novak.

Wisconsin makes final schools for top class of 2026 offensive lineman

Wisconsin makes final schools for top class of 2026 offensive lineman

Wisconsin made the top five schools for class of 2026 offensive lineman Tyler Merrill on Saturday.

The Badgers made the list along with Notre Dame, Clemson, Penn State and Alabama.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2024 season

247Sports ranks the four-star prospect as the No. 87 player in the class of 2026, the No. 7 interior offensive lineman and the No. 2 recruit from the state of Pennsylvania.

The recruiting service has yet to issue any predictions for his landing spot. On3’s prediction machine, on the other hand, gives Notre Dame a 76.2% chance to land his commitment. Notably, longtime Wisconsin assistant Joe Rudolph currently coaches the Fighting Irish offensive line.

Wisconsin currently has one player committed in the class of 2026: three-star interior offensive lineman Benjamin Novak. That is the case after quarterback Jarin Mock decommitted following changes to Wisconsin’s offensive staff.

Luke Fickell and his staff are working to continue a strong run on the recruiting trail. The program finished the 2024 cycle at No. 25 in the nation (with a Blue-Chip Ratio of 50%), then finished 2025 at No. 29.

The Badgers have done well to make Merrill’s final schools. They now will face significant competition to land his commitment.

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Huskers making push for 2026 dual-sport athlete

Nebraska is continuing to recruit the state of Florida.

Nebraska extended an offer to class of 2026 interior offensive lineman Ryan Miret this week, as the program continues to try to make a push in the state of Florida.

Miret is the 49th overall interior offensive lineman in the 2026 class and the 80th overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Right now, he has a Crystal Ball prediction for Miami.

He currently has seven offers on the table, a number that’s expected to increase. He is also a two-sport standout, having last lost to a wrestling match in December 2023. Since then, he has won 30 straight matches, according to a report from Husker247’s Mike Schaefer.

The Huskers are going to have their work cut out for them in this recruitment. If there is one advantage Nebraska does have in this recruitment, it’s that Miret has known outside linebackers coach Phil Simpson for quite a while. This will be an uphill battle given that Miami is making a strong push. However, the Huskers have done well in Florida as of late.

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UNC offers a top-ranked football recruit in Class of 2026

Bill Belichick offered a big-name football recruit from Massachusetts over the weekend.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are suddenly becoming a top destination for college football talent, thanks to their offseason hiring of Bill Belichick.

UNC already has over 20 transfer portal commitments, including six from those who played for North Carolina in 2024, but withdrew. North Carolina has interest from quarterback Jared Curtis, the Class of 2026’s fourth-ranked player, plus talented edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes re-opened his recruitment.

With a continued focus on growing the Tar Heels’ talent pool, Belichick dished out another offer to a top-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class.

Offensive lineman Anthony Hall, who is Massachusetts’ top-ranked recruit in the 2026 class, received an offer from Belichick and his UNC staff after a weekend visit.

Hall is listed as an interior offensive lineman on his official 247Sports recruiting profile, but his MaxPreps profile lists him as both a guard and defensive tackle.

North Carolina already has three commitments in its 2026 recruiting class: in-state quarterback Zaid Lott, plus a pair of California cornerbacks in Marcellous Ryan and Justin Lewis.

One trend I’m noticing in Belichick’s early recruiting: he’s expanding his reach outside of North Carolina. That’s evident in Belichick’s recent recruiting trip to New Jersey, offering several players from national power Bergen Catholic.

The Tar Heels now also have the ability to land recruits outside of their home state, thanks to Belichick being arguably the greatest football coach to walk this Earth. That’ll happen when you’re an 8-time Super Bowl winner.

Belichick spent 24 seasons coaching the New England Patriots, so he knows Massachusetts well. If he lands a commitment from Hall, expect others from up east to follow.

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Wisconsin football top-ranked class of 2026 edge rusher target commits to Big 12 program

Wisconsin football top-ranked class of 2026 edge rusher target commits to Big 12 program

Wisconsin top class of 2026 target Hunter Higgins announced his commitment to Kansas on Wednesday.

On Dec. 13, the three-star defensive lineman narrowed his final list of collegiate landing spots down to Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and Kansas. He ultimately chose the hometown Jayhawks.

Lance Leipold’s crew first emerged as the front-runner in early January when several recruiting analysts, including 247Sports’ Michael Swain and Rivals’ Jon McNamara, released forecasts linking Higgins to Kansas.

Higgins becomes the third highly-touted 2026 Badger recruit to commit elsewhere since Dec. 24. Other notable ones include top-ranked offensive lineman Ben Nichols choosing Notre Dame and running back Shahn Alston committing to USC.

247Sports’ composite ranking currently considers Higgins the No. 429 overall recruit in the class of 2026, No. 32 edge and and No. 4 prospect from his home state of Kansas.

Including Higgins, the Badgers have offered 24 total edge rusher prospects in the class of 2026. The program boats one commitment in the class at this early stage in the recruiting cycle.

Wisconsin football offers four-star class of 2026 wide receiver

Wisconsin football offers four-star class of 2026 wide receiver

The Wisconsin Badgers extended an offer to four-star class of 2026 wide receiver Ryan Mosley on Wednesday.

Mosley becomes the third high-profile 2026 recruit to receive an offer from Luke Fickell’s program dating back to Jan. 12, joining five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys and four-star quarterback Bowe Bentley.

247Sports composite ranking lists the Carrollton High School product as the No. 216 overall recruit in the class of 2026, the No. 27 wide receiver and the No. 26 player from his home state of Georgia. Like his contemporaries, Mosley’s offer sheet is jam-packed with prestigious college programs.

The 6-foot-4, 206-pound wide receiver’s list of potential landing spots includes Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Miami (FL), Oklahoma, SMU and South Carolina. In total, 32 programs have extended offers.

In 15 games as a junior, Mosley registered 55 receptions for 848 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He also appeared on defense as a free safety.

247Sports has yet to release any crystal ball predictions, and On3’s prediction recruiting machine has not pinpointed any front-runner at this stage of Mosley’s process. Georgia (26.8%) holds the highest likelihood followed by Alabama (17.7%) and South Carolina (15,2%).

Wisconsin will face a bevy of high-profile programs in Mosley’s recruitment. Its class of 2026 boasts just one commit following quarterback Jarin Mock’s departure: three-star offensive lineman Benjamin Novak.

Wisconsin offers one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the class of 2026

Wisconsin offers one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the class of 2026

Wisconsin football extended an offer to class of 2026 quarterback Bowe Bentley on Tuesday.

The offer was sent on the same day that three-star quarterback Jarin Mock decommitted from the program, a move that returned the position to a top need in the cycle.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, visits and commitments

247Sports ranks Bentley as the No. 180 player in the class, No. 11 quarterback and No. 28 recruit from his home state of Texas. Wisconsin is one of the top programs currently in pursuit of the Celina, Texas native. His other top offers include Boston College, California, Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech and Tulane.

Wisconsin is looking to continue a strong stretch of recruiting the position since the firing of former offensive coordinator Phil Longo in November. As the Badgers hired new coordinator Jeff Grimes, they also added top-ranked QB Carter Smith to its class of 2025 and landed commitments from highly-coveted transfers Danny O’Neil and Billy Edwards Jr.

A potential commitment from Bentley would continue a top-down overhaul of the position since Longo’s departure.

Mock’s departure from the room coinciding with the offer to Bentley shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Every Longo quarterback commit or signee now plays elsewhere, that once Mock pledges elsewhere. Tyler Van Dyke transferred to SMU, Braedyn Locke transferred to Arizona, Mabrey Mettauer transferred to Sam Houston State and 2025 signee Landyn Locke walked back his NLI and flipped to Sam Houston State. Those final two both followed Longo to his new program.

In-state interior offensive lineman Benjamin Novak is Wisconsin’s only commitment in the class of 2026. Bentley should be one of the program’s many pursuits at the position.

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Quarterback recruit decommits from Wisconsin’s class of 2026

Quarterback recruit decommits from Wisconsin’s class of 2026

Three-star quarterback recruit Jarin Mock decommitted from Wisconsin’s class of 2026 on Tuesday.

“After a brief conversation with Wisconsin they are no longer honoring my commitment,” Mock wrote on X. “With that being said, my recruitment is 100% open.”

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, visits and commitments

Mock pledged to the Badgers in July, choosing the program over offers from Central Michigan, Marshall, UMass and Miami (Ohio). He committed when Phil Longo ran the offense — before a top-down overhaul of both the quarterback room and the overall offensive unit.

Wisconsin fired Longo on Nov. 17 after a 16-13 loss to No. 1 Oregon dropped the team to 5-5. His offense ranked 91st in total offense (363.1 yards per game) and 98th in scoring (23.9 points per game) at the time.

Player moves followed after the season. Quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke, Braedyn Locke and Mabrey Mettauer transferred. Mettauer will play for Longo at Sam Houston State. Wisconsin hired new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, which was followed by transfer commitments from quarterbacks Danny O’Neil and Billy Edwards Jr.

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 added top-ranked quarterback Carter Smith and lost three-star Landyn Locke, who has since signed on to play for Longo at Sam Houston. All of those moves informed Mock’s departure from the Badgers’ class of 2026. Every player Longo brought to the quarterback room now plays elsewhere.

247Sports currently ranks Mock as the 535th player in the class of 2026, the  40th quarterback and 24th recruit from Ohio. He opens his recruitment with the 2026 recruiting cycle beginning to heat up at the start of the calendar year.

Wisconsin has one player committed in the class: three-star interior offensive lineman Benjamin Novak. The Badgers’ efforts in the class will become a significant story once spring ball concludes at the end of April.

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Wisconsin football offers nation’s No. 1 wide receiver in class of 2026

Wisconsin football offers nation’s No. 1 wide receiver in class of 2026

The Wisconsin Badgers extended an offer to five-star class of 2026 wide receiver Tristen Keys on Saturday.

Of all the prospects UW has offered over the past few months, Key is inarguably the most talented.

247Sports considers the Hattiesburg High School product the No. 4 overall recruit in the class of 2026, the No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 1 player from his home state of Mississippi. Of the 37 wide receivers on Wisconsin’s class of 2026 offer list, Keys is far and away the most talented.

As of Jan. 12, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver’s offer sheet is loaded. Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Michigan, Miami (Florida), Florida State and Auburn are just a few programs on his rolodex of collegiate options at this stage of his recruiting process.

The three-sport athlete totaled 58 receptions, 1,275 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior in 2024 while also competing in track and field and basketball.

Here’s 247Sports’ director of scouting Andrew Ivins’ take on Keys as a college prospect:

“A potential game-wrecker on the outside that can attack all three levels and constantly challenge defenses. Pairs elite ball skills together with dynamic route running, superior athleticism and a long-levered frame… [He] has the skill set to emerge as a playmaker and trusted option on the perimeter for a College Football Playoff contender given the combination of size, fluidity and coordination.”

247Sports’ national recruiting analyst Tom Loy considers Tennessee the favorite to land Key while On3’s recruiting prediction machine lists in-state Ole Miss as the most likely landing spot at 42.3%.

Regardless, Wisconsin is now in the running for one of the nation’s most talented players. Keys would immediately become one of the top prospects to ever commit to UW. However, the Badgers’ recruiting staff has a long way to go in order to land that commitment.