Where Wisconsin football's 2027 class stands before official visits
The Badgers will be very busy starting in a couple weekends. Here's what to know about the 2027 class.
It’s less than two weeks from official visits starting for the University of Wisconsin football program, and the Badgers already have a significant chunk of its 2027 class committed.
A lot of that’s due to the staff’s work within what’s traditionally been the bread and butter of the program.
The current nature of college football recruiting can certainly change each recruiting class, which Wisconsin experienced in November and December with attrition and addition before the 2026 early signing period. But the Badgers currently hold a top-25 class with verbal commitments from 13 scholarship players, and nine of them are from within the state. The most recent addition was Amery linebacker Keaton Wollan, who announced his flip from Iowa State earlier this week.
The nine in-state scholarship players (if they sign with Wisconsin) would be the most since the 2011 class, according to Badger247 earlier this week. 247Sports’ database of that recruiting cycle shows 10 in-state signees that include legendary running back Melvin Gordon and key contributors such as fullback Derek Watt, linebacker Derek Landisch and tight end Sam Arneson.
“I think that the good thing about it all is that you are seeing, at least in particular, in the recruiting side of things, that there’s a confidence level in the things that we’re doing,” coach Luke Fickell said April 7. “And sometimes it’s hard to see, because it always comes down to wins, but guys that are inside the program, the guys that come to the program, they do see something that’s growing, and I think that’s a big thing for us.
“But I also think it’s a great year in the state. I think our coaches have done a great job, but it takes a couple catalysts to doing those things as well. And so there’s a lot of credit that needs to be kind of thrown around for how this thing has gone. But a lot of it has to fall on those guys’ shoulders, those families’ shoulders that have been here and seen the things that are growing. Just hasn’t been as obvious to the outside.”
Where Wisconsin sits in the major outlets’ rankings
The early commitments have Wisconsin’s 2027 class ranking 15th in the nation, according to 247Sports, as of Saturday morning. The outlet evaluates three in-state players — running back Kingston Allen (Green Bay Notre Dame), tight end Korz Loken (Iola-Scandinavia) and offensive lineman Cole Reiter (Germantown) — as four-star recruits.
On3/Rivals’ Industry composite rankings has Wisconsin lower at No. 24 in the country, but also sees five commits as four-star recruits: the aforementioned three plus Wisconsin legacy quarterback Jack Sorgi and in-state offensive lineman Hunter Mallinger (Sussex Hamilton).
