Tag: commit

Wisconsin football loses class of 2025 offensive tackle target to Iowa State

Wisconsin football loses 2025 OT target to Iowa State

Wisconsin football offensive tackle target Jack Shaffer committed to Iowa State on Wednesday. Shaffer is a three-star recruit in the class of 2025.

Shaffer had included the Badgers in his final five schools along with Iowa State, Duke, Kansas State and North Dakota State.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

The Bismarck, North Dakota, native is 247Sports’ No. 64 offensive tackle in the class of 2025 and No. 2 overall recruit from North Dakota. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound tackle was an all-state selection following his junior campaign at Bismarck High School.

The Badgers offered Shaffer after his unofficial visit on April 12, though they apparently had an uphill battle to fight for his commitment.

He commits to an Iowa State program that went 7-6 in 2023.

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 ranks 21st in the nation with eight commitments. Michael Roeske is the only offensive lineman in the group.

Time remains in the cycle for Luke Fickell to replicate an impressive class of 2024 output.

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Wisconsin football lands a commitment from an in-state 2025 athlete

Luke Fickell just added to Wisconsin’s class of 2025

Wisconsin football landed a commitment from in-state class of 2025 athlete Grant Dean on Wednesday.

Dean is a three-star recruit according to 247Sports, and ranked as the No. 97 athlete in the class and No. 11 recruit from the state of Wisconsin.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

The Neenah, Wisconsin native chooses the Badgers over offers from Wyoming, Army, North Dakota State and Northern Illinois.

He is Luke Fickell’s eighth commitment in a class of 2025 that ranked No. 22 in the nation before this news. That ranking should rise despite the program still not having a blue-chip player committed in the class.

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Wisconsin basketball transfer portal target commits to Dayton

Wisconsin basketball transfer portal target commits to Dayton

Wisconsin basketball transfer portal target Zed Key committed to Dayton on Monday.

Key entered the portal this month after four years at Ohio State. Wisconsin reportedly reached out as it tries to fill the vacant forward spot after Tyler Wahl’s departure. The connection between Key and the Badgers already existed: Wisconsin offered the experienced forward coming out of high school and was in strong pursuit throughout the entire process.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

Key joins a Dayton program that went 25-8 in 2023-24 and made the NCAA Tournament. It was the program’s first appearance since Archie Miller led the Flyers to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2014-2017.

Key was an ascending talent in the Big Ten entering this past season. His numbers improved every season at Ohio State until 2023-24. His breakout 2022-23 season included averages of 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.0 blocks on 55% shooting. But the veteran averaged just 15.4 minutes per game in 2023-24, with averages of 6.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.6 blocks on 50% shooting from the floor.

Wisconsin’s focus turns to top transfer forward Frankie Fidler, who was originally scheduled to announce his commitment on Monday morning but has since delayed that announcement.

For more on Wisconsin’s roster and transfer portal activity, check out Badgers Wire’s ongoing 2024 transfer portal tracker.

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Former Wisconsin basketball guard commits to South Dakota State

Former Wisconsin basketball guard commits to South Dakota State

Former Wisconsin guard Isaac Lindsey committed to South Dakota State on Sunday morning.

The junior guard entered the portal earlier this month after three years at Wisconsin and one at UNLV. The Mineral Point, Wisconsin, native tallied 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals in only 59 minutes of action this past season for the Badgers.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

Lindsey is one of six Badgers to enter the portal this offseason, along with Connor Essegian, A.J. Storr, Gus Yalden, Ross Candelino and Luke Haertle. He joins a South Dakota State program that went 22-13 in 2023-24, including a 12-4 conference record and NCAA Tournament appearance.

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Report: Wisconsin top transfer portal target to announce commitment on Monday

Report: Wisconsin top transfer portal target to announce commitment on Monday

Wisconsin basketball top transfer portal target Frankie Fidler will announce his commitment on Monday morning, according to Omaha, Nebraska radio host Gary Sharp.

The Badgers recently made Fidler’s final four schools along with Nebraska, Creighton and Michigan State.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

The former Omaha forward is a big-ticket prospect for the teams still in the running. The 6’7″ forward averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 45% shooting and 35% from 3 as a junior at Omaha in 2023-24. He is 247Sports’ 48th-ranked transfer and seventh-ranked small forward in the portal.

Fidler played high school basketball with Wisconsin point guard Chucky Hepburn, making this connection an easy one to make. He’d seamlessly fill the vacant role left by star wing A.J. Storr and would be the dynamic shooter that the team currently lacks.

For more on Wisconsin’s roster and transfer portal activity, check out Badgers Wire’s ongoing 2024 transfer portal tracker.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Former Wisconsin 2025 commit Cody Haddad immediately receives crystal ball to Big Ten rival

This didn’t take long…

Former Wisconsin football class of 2025 commit Cody Haddad received a crystal ball prediction to choose Ohio State on Monday afternoon. The prediction took no time after the promising athlete decommitted from the Badgers earlier that day.

Haddad is 247Sports’ No. 527 player in the class of 2025, No. 37 athlete and No. 16 recruit from his home state of Ohio.

Related: Wisconsin football slides in early class of 2025 team recruiting rankings

Wisconsin originally earned a commitment from Haddad back on January 18. Ohio State was quick to offer after that date, which led to the Ohio native visiting his in-state school. The conclusion appears to be a commitment to Ohio State in the end.

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 is down to seven commitments and is on the slide in the national rankings, though months still remain before the class is finalized.

I guess it shouldn’t a huge surprise that a program like Ohio State has the power to pull a promising commit from Wisconsin’s class.

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Former Wisconsin basketball star receives crystal ball to transfer to Big Ten rival

What would your reaction be to AJ Storr committing to Illinois?

Former Wisconsin Badgers star guard A.J. Storr received a 247Sports crystal ball prediction to choose Illinois.

Storr entered the transfer portal after Wisconsin’s season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to James Madison. He also entered the NBA draft while maintaining his eligibility, though a return to college seems the more likely conclusion.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin basketball’s reported transfer portal visits and targets

Storr averaged 28.8 minutes, 16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 steals in his one year with the Badgers. He was the engine of Wisconsin’s offense for much of the season, especially the team’s run to the final of the Big Ten Tournament.

A possible transfer to Illinois would mean three colleges in as many seasons for Storr. It would also mean seven schools in seven years dating to high school.

Illinois needs help on the wing entering 2024-25: Terrence Shannon Jr. is out of eligibility. Storr’s fit makes sense: He originally committed to the Illini out of high school before flipping to St John’s.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is looking to find Storr’s replacement in the transfer portal. The Badgers are in pursuit of several of the portal’s top forwards as both Storr and Tyler Wahl’s production needs to be replaced.

For more on Wisconsin’s roster and transfer portal activity, check out Badgers Wire’s ongoing 2024 transfer portal tracker.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Former Wisconsin outside linebacker commits to a Mountain West school

Former Wisconsin outside linebacker commits to Mountain West school

Former Wisconsin linebacker Kaden Johnson announced his transfer commitment to Nevada earlier today.

Johnson had entered the portal on January 5th. He had previously joined the Wisconsin program as a four-star recruit and No. 1 player from Minnesota in the class of 2020. His career in Madison ended up being largely uneventful, as he recorded only 29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack in his three years of playing time.

The veteran linebacker joins a Nevada program that is fresh off consecutive 2-10 seasons under head coach Ken Wilson. Wilson was fired at the end of the 2023 season, leading to the recent hire of Jeff Choate to lead the program.

Johnson is one of numerous Wisconsin defenders to enter the transfer portal this season. There are now only three — OLB Ross Gengler, CB Amaun Williams and DE Tommy Brunner — that are yet to commit to a new school.

Former five-star Wisconsin offensive tackle commits to a Big Ten rival

Former five-star Wisconsin offensive tackle commits to a Big Ten rival

Former Wisconsin offensive tackle Nolan Rucci committed to Penn State earlier today. He had entered the transfer portal just two days ago, so no time was wasted in finding a new home.

Rucci was a five-star recruit in the class of 2021, ranked as the No. 17 player in the entire class, No. 5 offensive tackle and No. 1 recruit from the state of Pennsylvania. His older brother, Wisconsin tight end Hayden Rucci, recently opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.

He commits to a Penn State program where his father, Todd Rucci, played during the 1990s. The connection was an easy one to make, as Penn State was a top contender during his high school recruitment a few years ago.

The former top recruit finished his Wisconsin career without much on-field action, though did catch the Badgers’ game-winning touchdown at Illinois.

Wisconsin adds another defensive piece in the transfer portal

Wisconsin adds another defensive piece in the transfer portal

Wisconsin continued its work in the transfer portal yesterday, this time adding a commitment from former Northern Iowa inside linebacker Jahsiah Galvan.

Galvan played two years for the Panthers. His 2023 season included 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception and Phil Steele Freshman All-American First Team honors.

He joins a Wisconsin inside linebacker room with plenty of snaps available after Jordan Turner’s departure to Michigan State.

Galvan is Wisconsin’s seventh addition in the transfer portal this offseason. The portal class now ranks No. 28 nationally, paired with a high school class that finished No. 23 after the last-minute addition of DL Ernest Willor Jr.