Wisconsin football offers two of 2026’s top-ranked linebackers

Wisconsin football offers two of 2026’s top-ranked linebackers

Wisconsin extended offers to two of the class of 2026’s top-ranked linebackers on Thursday: four-stars Tristan Phillips and Cincere Johnson.

Phillips, first, is a Ventura, California native and is 247Sports’ No. 199 player in the class of 2026, No. 12 linebacker and No. 24 recruit from the state of California. Meanwhile, Johnson is from Cleveland, Ohio and is 247Sports’ No. 127 player in the class, No. 14 linebacker and No. 5 recruit from the state of Ohio.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

Both four-star linebackers are highly pursued, even at this early stage in the 2026 recruiting process. Phillips has eight total offers, including from Washington, Arizona, Arizona State and Notre Dame. Johnson also now has eight with the addition of Wisconsin, from programs including Notre Dame, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Louisville and Kentucky.

Wisconsin has now offered both prospects early in the recruiting cycle, though may have uphill battles to land either. On3’s recruiting forecast tool gives Phillips a 29% chance to choose Cal Poly, 25% chance to choose San Diego State, 22% chance to choose Arizona and 18% to choose Notre Dame. Johnson’s is a bit more straight forward — 44% to Notre Dame, 20% to Michigan State, 17% to Cincinnati and 14% to Louisville.

Time still remains for those predictions to change as more schools enter the mix. But Wisconsin is taking a few big swings at this early stage in the 2026 cycle.

 

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