Tag: Hardy Watts

Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs class of 2025’s top recruit from Massachusetts

Early Signing Day: Wisconsin officially signs class of 2025’s No. 1 player from Massachusetts

Wisconsin officially signed all 24 committed members of its class of 2025 on Wednesday.

One headliner of the class is four-star iOL Hardy Watts — arguably the premier lineman committed to the class. To secure a commitment from Watts in early July, Wisconsin beat out other top finalists Michigan and Clemson with an effective late recruiting push.

Watts is one of two four-star offensive lineman commits in Wisconsin’s class of 2025 alongside Arizona native Logan Powell. 247Sports considers the top recruit the No. 248 overall prospect, No. 13 interior offensive lineman and No. 1 player from the state of Massachusetts in his class.

247Sports Hudson Standish considers the 6-foot-6, 290-pound player “a multi-year starter at the high-major level with the potential to become an NFL Draft selection.” Watts can play either tackle or guard for the Badgers, and his ceiling mimics Wisconsin’s 2024 true freshman right tackle Kevin Heywood.

Watts was also named Evergreen League Lineman of the Year on Tuesday for his contributions as a senior at Dexter Southland High School. The team went 8-2 in 2024 and fell to Tabor Academy in a bowl game on Nov. 16.

Wisconsin’s storied history of producing top-notch offensive lineman will play in Watts favor. Given Watt’s talent and UW’s commitment to the position group, he could blossom into a star alongside other 2025 commits soon after he arrives in Madison.

Where Wisconsin 2025 commits Mason Posa, Hardy Watts stand among top recruits in Badgers history

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 has commitments from two of the program’s highest-rated recruits of all time

Every highly-ranked college football recruiting class needs a headliner. At the least, the class needs one signature name that leads any discussion about its caliber.

Recruiting class rankings are based on volume and depth. But as college football fans know, championships are often won by the top-ranked, marquee players.

Related: Updated college football recruiting class of 2025 national rankings by blue-chip ratio

Using that lens to look at Wisconsin’s class of 2025, the headliner names are four-star linebacker Mason Posa and interior offensive lineman Hardy Watts. The Badgers beat out top programs including Oregon and Texas A&M to land Posa, plus Michigan and Clemson for Watts. The two commitments are, without hyperbole, two of the signature recruiting wins of the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin.

That ‘era’ only includes two full recruiting cycles. But as mentioned, every top class needs a few signature commitments.

The Badgers class as a whole currently has 22 players committed. 247Sports ranks the group ranks No. 15 in the nation and No. 5 in the new Big Ten. Fickell’s output in the class is a fantastic follow-up to a program-best class of 2024 cycle.

Related: Ranking the highest rated recruits in the history of Wisconsin football

Back to those signature commitments, Watts and Posa are not only the highest-rated members of Wisconsin’s class of 2025. They are among the highest-ranked recruits in program history.

Here is their 247Sports ratings, plus where they land on Wisconsin’s all-time leaderboard:

Mason Posa: Four-star, No. 212 in class of 2025, No. 27 linebacker, No. 1 recruit from New Mexico, 0.9232 overall rating.

  • Wisconsin all-time rank: No. 36

Hardy Watts: Four-star, No. 222 in class of 2025, No. 12 interior offensive lineman, No. 1 recruit from Massachusetts, 0.9206 overall rating.

  • Wisconsin all-time rank: No. 38

Fickell’s highest-rated recruits also includes 2024 iOL Emerson Mandell (No. 35 all-time), DL Ernest Willor Jr. (No. 32), RB Dilin Jones (No. 26) and OT Kevin Heywood (No. 14).

The young head coach has shown an impressive recruiting prowess in only a short time with the Badgers. He has tangibly increased the program’s recruiting floor, and shown potential for an even higher ceiling.

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

Wisconsin star cornerback chimes in on Hardy Watts’ commitment

Wisconsin star cornerback chimes in on Hardy Watts’ commitment

Wisconsin star cornerback Ricardo Hallman praised UW’s class of 2025 following Hardy Watts’ commitment on Monday via social media.

Like other Badgers fans, Hallman offered his endorsement after Wisconsin picked up its 22nd commitment of the 2025 cycle. That addition was enough to vault the group up to No. 16 in the country and No. 5 in the new Big Ten.

Massachusetts’ No. 1 player for his class chose the Badgers over other finalists Michigan and Clemson following a recent crystal ball prediction on Saturday. Even before his commitment, Luke Fickell’s class of 2025 had already turned heads following an impressive class of 2024 cycle.

The four-star recruit is also 247Sports’ No. 222 player in the class of 2025 and No. 12 interior offensive lineman. Of note, UW has also received pledges from four-star linebacker Mason Posa, four-star OT Logan Powell and three-star wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. this summer.

In terms of Hallman’s area of the turf, UW has secured 2025 commitments from safety Grant Dean, safety Remington Moss and cornerback Jaimier Scott.

Hallman, who will captain Wisconsin’s secondary alongside safety Hunter Wholer, enters the 2024 season fresh off an AP Third Team All-American and All-Big Ten third team selection. His seven interceptions were tied for the most among NCAA Division I athletes.

Wisconsin’s starting defensive backfield also includes safety Kamo’i Latu, hybrid cornerback/safety Austin Brown and cornerbacks Nyzier Fourqurean and underrated transfer R.J. Delancy.

WATCH: The moment top class of 2025 OL Hardy Watts announced Wisconsin commitment

WATCH: The moment top class of 2025 OL Hardy Watts announced Wisconsin commitment

Newest Wisconsin football class of 2025 commit iOL Hardy Watts announced his collegiate commitment before family and friends at Dexter Southfield School on Monday afternoon.

UW’s iconic football theme song, “Jump Around,” blared from speakers in the background as Watts announced his commitment. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound lineman proceeded to put on the Wisconsin hat and reveal his Badger undershirt, which was all met with a round of applause.

Similar to top UW class of 2025 commit Eugene Hilton Jr., Watts offered zero hesitancy when making his announcement and seemed thrilled with the decision. His commitment is more than a welcome sign for Wisconsin football after the program recently saw four-star cornerback Rukeem Stroud commit to UCF.

Watts chose the Badgers over other finalists Michigan and Clemson. Wisconsin appeared to be out of the running as recently as last week, though a string of 247Sports crystal ball predictions on Saturday indicated that the Badgers had won the down-to-the-last-minute recruiting battle.

Watts is currently ranked by 247Sports as the No. 222 player in the class of 2025, No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 1 recruit from the state of Massachusetts. He is notably the sixth blue-chip player to commit to the Badgers’ class of 2025.

247Sports elevated the Badgers’ class of 2025 No. 5 in the Big Ten following Watts’ choice. He becomes the program’s 22nd overall commitment, fifth offensive lineman and first iOL in the class.

Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas reacts to Hardy Watts’ commitment

Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas reacts to Hardy Watts’ commitment

Former Wisconsin football legend Joe Thomas reacted to the Badgers landing a commitment from top-ranked class of 2025 offensive tackle Hardy Watts’ on Monday.

It’s safe to say Thomas was excited about his alma mater landing the four-star lineman — who becomes the program’s 22nd overall commitment, fifth offensive lineman and first iOL in the class. “Now we go!!!” Thomas wrote in his post on X.

Watts joins the Badgers’ class as 247Sports’ No. 222 player in the class of 2025, No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 1 recruit from the state of Massachusetts. He instantly becomes the program’s highest-rated commit in the class.

The Brookline, Massachusetts native, who committed to the Badgers over both Clemson and Michigan, will join one of college football’s most prolific landing spots for offensive linemen — headlined by Thomas’ collegiate and professional career.

Most notably, with 11 active linemen in the pros, Wisconsin football is second among NCAA Division I college football programs with the most active offensive lineman in the NFL. The Badgers are tied for second in the nation with Oklahoma, LSU and Notre Dame; only Michigan produced more active athletes with 14.

UW also helped develop 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Thomas, former Dallas Cowboy Travis Frederick and Super Bowl champion Mark Tauscher into professional-ready linemen during their time in Madison. These success stories serve as a blueprint for what Watts could become during and after his collegiate tenure.

 

Thomas, the most revered of all former Badger offensive lineman, was a first-team All-American team member in 2005 and 2006, recognized as the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman with the 2006 Outland Trophy and was a team captain and co-MVP as a senior in 2006.

He finished his collegiate tenure as the 2007 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient and with back-to-back first-team All-Big Ten selections before declaring for the 2007 NFL draft.

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.

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

BREAKING: Wisconsin beats Michigan, Clemson for four-star class of 2025 iOL Hardy Watts

It is arguably the signature recruiting win of the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin thus far

Wisconsin football added top-ranked class of 2025 offensive lineman Hardy Watts to its class of 2025 on Monday.

The four-star recruit committed to the Badgers over other finalists Michigan and Clemson. His commitment is a gigantic recruiting win for Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell after the Badgers appeared to be out of the running. Everything seemed to change as recently as Saturday, when every 247Sports crystal ball prediction for Watts switched to Wisconsin.

Related: Wisconsin’s class of 2025 leaps Michigan in national rankings after landing top iOL Hardy Watts

Watts is commitment No. 22 for the Badgers in the class of 2025. The group now ranks No. 15 in the nation and No. 5 in the new Big Ten, leapfrogging Michigan.

The top lineman is currently ranked by 247Sports as the No. 218 player in the class of 2025, No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 1 recruit from the state of Massachusetts. He is instantly Wisconsin’s highest-rated commit in the class.

Watts was one of several of Wisconsin’s top remaining targets in the class. His commitment reignites the program’s momentum in the class of 2025, just as some of the top programs in the Big Ten begin to make their moves.

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

Wisconsin football trending toward landing top 2025 iOL Hardy Watts

Wisconsin football trending toward landing top 2025 iOL Hardy Watts

Wisconsin football is trending toward landing four-star class of 2025 interior offensive lineman Hardy Watts, as five last-minute 247Sports crystal ball predictions were logged on Saturday for him to choose the Badgers.

Those predictions come from 247Sports Wisconsin insiders Evan Flood and Nick Osen, Michigan insiders Steve Lorenz and Sam Webb, and national analyst Brian Dohn. They are posted just two days before Watts is scheduled to announce his commitment (Monday, July 1) to either Wisconsin, Michigan, or Clemson.

Related: Wisconsin football’s top remaining targets in the class of 2025 recruiting cycle

This significant last-minute shift in the top lineman’s recruitment comes after nearly every insider had recently predicted Michigan as his destination.

Watts is currently ranked by 247Sports as the No. 218 player in the class of 2025, No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 1 recruit from the state of Massachusetts.

Wisconsin potentially winning this down-to-the-wire recruiting battle is significant news after the four-star lineman recently visited Michigan on June 21. His visit to the Badgers was back on May 31. It is often the case that the program with the last visit lands a player’s commitment. That is trending toward not being the case in this scenario.

Watts’ would be a signature addition to a Wisconsin class of 2025 that currently ranks No. 16 in the nation and No. 6 in the new Big Ten. Notably, it would propel the class ahead of Michigan (No. 15 overall, No. 5 Big Ten) — the program the Badgers are currently battling for Watts’ commitment.

The top-ranked lineman is one of several of Wisconsin’s top targets who remain uncommitted. The Badgers making a late push in the cycle could begin with Watt’s commitment on Monday.

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

Michigan football 2025 target trending away from Wolverines

This one turned quickly. #GoBlue

If you want to play offensive line in college football, there’s arguably nowhere better to do so than in Ann Arbor. But that doesn’t entice everyone.

Michigan football won two straight Joe Moore Awards but may have had among its best years at the position the year after, when the Wolverines won the national championship. And though the Wolverines have two offensive line commits in Avery Gach and Kaden Strayhorn, one target who appeared likely to end up in Ann Arbor is now trending away.

The Wolverines were in a battle with Clemson to secure the commitment of 2025 Brookline (Mass.) Dexter School four-star interior offensive lineman Hardy Watts. And after Clemson had received a 247Sports Crystal Ball, Michigan football got all the momentum and he appeared destined to end up wearing maize and blue.

However, there was a turn of events and all the Michigan predictions have been flipped to Big Ten foe Wisconsin.

Here is how Watts rates according to the recruiting services:

Stars Ovr Pos State
247Sports Composite 4 217 12 1
On3 Industry Ranking 4 251 16 2
247Sports 4 – 16 1
On3 4 119 9 1
Rivals 4 178 6 1
ESPN 3 – 40 2

Watts also has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Penn State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. He’s listed at 6-foot-6, 290 pounds, and was previously expected to end up at Clemson and then Michigan before Wisconsin made a push.

When it comes to linemen, Michigan is still in excellent position with five-star Andrew Babalola — though he plays on the exterior.

Wisconsin top 2025 target Hardy Watts announces commitment date

Wisconsin top 2025 target Hardy Watts announces commitment date

Wisconsin top class of 2025 target iOL Hardy Watts announced on Monday that he will be committing on July 1 at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central.

The Badgers are among Watts’ list of final three schools along with Michigan and Clemson. He has taken official visits to all three schools: Clemson on June 2, Wisconsin on June 7 and Michigan on June 21.

Related: Big Ten Football Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?

Of note, the four-star lineman currently has two 247Sports crystal ball predictions listed: one to Michigan and one to Clemson. The Michigan prediction was recently released and was given with a ‘high confidence level.’

Whichever prediction comes to fruition, Wisconsin appears to be Watt’s clear No. 3 choice entering the final week before his commitment. As always, that can quickly change.

The interior offensive lineman is currently 247Sports’ No. 217 player in the class of 2025, No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 1 recruit from his home state of Massachusetts. He is by far the Badgers’ highest-ranked target left on the board and a commitment would mark a substantial recruiting victory for Luke Fickell and his coaching staff.

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 currently sits at No. 12 in 247Sports’ national rankings and No. 4 in the new Big Ten Conference. The Badgers recently added commitment No. 21 to the group with the addition of three-star edge rusher Nicolas Clayton.

Luke Fickell’s program has received 10 commitments since the start of June. Its current momentum would reach an entirely new level if it somehow beats Michigan and Clemson for Watts’ commitment.

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

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