Wisconsin football received a low grade in The Athletic’s recent re-rank of the class of 2020 recruiting cycle.
The Badgers were among the ‘honorable mention’ category, ranked at No. 33 overall with an average point rating of 1.98, a 27-19 record with the class on campus and only 45% attrition.
Related: Where every member of Wisconsin’s record-breaking recruiting class of 2021 is now
The Athletic’s point system awards five points to an All-American or top-50 NFL draft pick, four points to a multi-year starter or all-conference honors, three points to a one-year starter or key reserve, two points to a career backup and 0 points to players with minor or zero contribution.
Wisconsin’s 20-person class led by five-star OT Jack Nelson, four-star OLB Nick Herbig, four-star RB Jalen Berger and four-star OL Trey Wedig finished with only 40 of those points. It had several solid contributors, but only a few star players.
Here is a breakdown of the class, organized by The Athletic’s point system:
5:
4: Jack Nelson, Nick Herbig, Chimere Dike, Tanor Bortolini, Jordan Turner, James Thompson Jr.
3: Jalen Berger
2: Trey Wedig, Ben Barten, Devin Chandler, Preston Zachman, Max Lofy, Cade McDonald
0: Cole Dakovich, Malik Reed, Cam Large, Isaac Smith, Kaden Johnson, Aaron Witt
A necessary note: this ranking has the possibility to rise during the 2024 season. Max Lofy, Aaron Witt, Ben Barten, Cade McDonald and Preston Zachman all figure to play an increased role.
The class sits at No. 33 in this re-rank after finishing the 2020 cycle ranked No. 26 in the nation.
@max_olson with his annual re-rank. It’s always fascinating to see which schools win on signing day.
Which college football programs actually won the 2020 recruiting cycle? Re-ranking the classes https://t.co/dUS4novyiv
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) May 28, 2024
The top of the ranking was led by Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Missouri and Iowa. The top three schools are not surprising given their recent national title-level success.
The 2020 cycle falls into a general theme for the end of the Paul Chryst era at Wisconsin. The 2019, 2020 and 2021 cycles all arrived on campus with incredible promise, with the expectation to build on the program’s on-field success from 2016-2019. None of that materialized and Chryst was fired during the 2022 season.
Luke Fickell hopes his top-25 class of 2024 experiences a different reaction during The Athletic’s future re-rank in 2028.
The Badgers’ class of 2025, meanwhile, currently ranks No. 19 in the nation with 11 players committed. The program is currently preparing for a massive upcoming weekend of official visits.
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