Re: Badgers Football Recruiting Update

TschmackMember

The Badgers landed a big time OL prospect yesterday in Nolan Rucci out of Pennsylvania. He was ranked a top 20 overall national prospect for 2021 and joins a strong class already with JP Benzschawel and Riley Mahlman already committed. Not to mention stud OL prospects already in the fold with Logan Brown and Jack Nelson and Trey Widig having committed previously.

I know recruiting ratings can be subjective but Rivals currently has the UW 2021 class listed as 16th overall. In all of my years following the Badgers that might be the highest rated recruiting class I’ve seen and most certainly they are assembling (on paper) the strongest OL group in team history.

Time will tell, but why a top rated QB or RB doesn’t want to come to Madison given how they are recruiting and developing stud OL is beyond me. Not to mention Paul Chryst has a history of churning out good players in a pro style offense.

9/10/208:26 AM

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Pikes PeakMember

What was Mertz rated star wise?

9/10/208:36 AM

The HecklerMember

I think Mertz was a 4 or 5 star guy depending on where you looked.

Rated #16? In all my lifetime I don't think I have ever seen the Badgers crack the top 25 or even top 40 sometimes.

Chryst is never going to recruit at the level of the OSUs, Bamas, or Clemsons of the world but I think he is doing a great job.

A fun back story on Chryst. I know a family of a kid who played for him at Pitt. They said the kids and families absolutely loved the guy and is a very underrated recruiter.

I kind of wonder if the pro style offense is helping their recruiting? I know they aren't flashy but I wonder if guys who want to develop for the NFL might be smart to go to a place like UW?

9/11/2012:41 PM

TschmackMember

Jalen Berger for starters

He’s a versatile RB from NJ and a tremendous athlete. As a receiver might think Brian Calhoun x5

9/11/206:12 PM

Music CityMember

@The Heckler posted:
I kind of wonder if the pro style offense is helping their recruiting? I know they aren't flashy but I wonder if guys who want to develop for the NFL might be smart to go to a place like UW?

The RBs are catching on. They have strong pipelines in NJ, FL, MN, and Chicagoland, and they own WI. The Gary Anderson era saw the attempt to recruit away from WI- Chryst corrected that quickly. And now that they have a defense consistently near the top of the nation, they’ll be able to build in that momentum, too.

The main thing that has hurt them against the top programs has been their speed on defense. I have to believe that’s being addressed.

9/12/2012:01 PM

TschmackMember

The Badgers have made in roads in Florida for DBs over the last decade or so. Some players better than others. They got Ricardo Hallman to commit for 2021 and he’s one of the top corners in South Florida and many big time programs were after the guy.

9/17/208:44 AM

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