Crunching numbers, takeaways from Wisconsin football's 2027 class (to this point)
Starting to put a wrap on Wisconsin football summer recruiting coverage with an in-depth look at the Badgers' 2027 class
Luke Fickell and his University of Wisconsin football staff once again have a recruiting class hovering around the top 25 programs of the country.
And evaluations of that group of future Badgers could make it rank even higher after all’s said and done with the 2027 recruiting cycle.
Wisconsin’s 23 scholarship commits cumulatively rank 23rd in the nation as of Saturday, according to 247Sports, which includes being ranked No. 8 of the 18 Big Ten schools. 247Sports’ standalone evaluations has six players as four-star recruits, led by projected cornerback Mekhi Williams. There’s enough talent in this class where that could, and in Badger Obsever’s opinion, should be higher by the the early signing period.
Five — Williams (No. 122), running back Kingston Allen (No. 151), offensive lineman Cole Reiter (No. 158), defensive lineman David Hill (No. 225), and wide receiver Jai Jones (No. 247) — are within the top 247 players of the nation by that outlet.
ESPN recently evaluated the Badgers as the No. 25 class in the nation for the 2027 recruiting cycle. Tight end Korz Loken (No. 253), Reiter (No. 266) and Williams (No. 282) are within the outlet’s SC Next 300. Edge rusher/defensive lineman Yahzeen Zion and outside linebacker Isaac Miller are the other recruits designated as four-star players by ESPN.
On3/Rivals’ industry ranking has the Badgers at No. 26 in the nation and No. 9 in the conference. Rivals itself sees eight players as four-star recruits: quarterback Jack Sorgi, Reiter, Jones, Allen, Williams, offensive lineman Hunter Mallinger, Loken and Zion.
Ten of the 23 scholarship commits in this class are evaluated as four-star recruits by at least one of the three major outlets.
Badger Observer starts to put a wrap on its expansive summer football recruiting coverage with an overall look at where the class sits and what’s stood out from a very busy month.
Breaking down of recruits by projected position groups
Quarterback: 1 (Sorgi)
Running back: 1 (Allen)
Wide receivers: 2 (Jones and Steele Harris)
Tight end: 1 (Loken)
Offensive linemen: 5 (Reiter, Mallinger, Reece Mallinger, Ethan McIntosh, Jack Tabbert)
Defensive linemen: 3 (Hill, Zion, Will Zaccagnino)
Outside linebackers: 3 (Miller, Darin Graham, Brody Pfannenstiel)
Inside linebackers: 2 (Nathan Jones, Keaton Wollan)
Cornerbacks: 2 (Williams, Royalton Allen)
Safety: 3 (DJ Davis, James “Trey” Roberson, Dustin Roach)
Badgers have made a habit of flipping recruits this cycle
Wollan previously gave a verbal commitment to Iowa State in April, but he then switched course and decided to join Wisconsin’s class in May.
Then came Williams weeks later, and the consensus four-star recruit from Lennard High School in Ruskin, Florida, is the biggest name. He decommitted from Florida State the Sunday of his official visit and announced days later his commitment to Wisconsin.
Credit should be given to cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples and the recruiting staff for their efforts in establishing rapport with Williams.
“Those coaches, they talk to me, they talk to our principal, they talk to our counselors about what they’re looking for from Mekhi, what their expectations are from a school standpoint,” Ruskin Lennard coach KB Belton told Badger Observer in late May. “They have done a phenomenal job with just developing a true relationship with him, not just about football. They want to get to know him as a person, his family, who he is, what’s his weaknesses, what’s his strength, not just on the football field, but in the classroom, in life. What is he going to need help with? What’s his family dynamic? They’ve done a really, really phenomenal job, and a lot of that starts with Robert Steeples, man.
“He truly broke down the walls of a 16-, 17-year-old kid. He didn’t make it about football, he made it about life after football. He made it about growth and development here at Wisconsin, of you’ll have a network of people that’s going to take care of you and care for you. Yes, football is your tool to get in, but we’re going to help you develop as a person. And that is the biggest thing that stuck out to me when it came to his recruitment, and I can see that in how he carries himself when he’s around the coaches. I can see that in the conversations I have with his parents, of they’re excited to talk to the coaches when they come around, and it’s not just another phone call with a football coach. It’s, “Oh, coach Steeples is calling. Oh, Robert’s calling.’ It’s like, ‘Wait, first name basis?’”
