Get to know the Wisconsin Badgers' 2019 football recruiting class
From in-state standouts to bruising offensive linemen and a consensus four-star quarterback on the rise, learn more about the athletes that have committed to playing at the University of Wisconsin beginning in the 2019 season.
LEO CHENAL
Grantsburg High athlete Leo Chenal committed to the University of Wisconsin less than 24 hours after receiving an offer during a visit to Madison in September of 2017.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound in-state prospect could play a number of positions for the Badgers. While off the radar of other Power Five programs at the time of his commitment, Chenal is now a consensus three-star prospect and a top-500 player nationally per 247sports’ composite rankings.
LOGAN BROWN
Currently the crown jewel of UW’s 2019 class, offensive lineman Logan Brown ranks as a top-20 prospect in the country by all major recruiting sites.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound tackle from East Kentwood High in Grand Rapids, Michigan, committed one day after visiting Madison for the Badgers’ big victory over Michigan on Nov. 18, 2017. He chose UW over reported offers from Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Louisville, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and others.
HAYDEN RUCCI
Many UW fans were excited about the commitment of Hayden Rucci in February, as the tight end rates as a four-star prospect by Rivals and earned three stars from 247sports and ESPN.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound prospect from Warwick High in Lititz, Pennsylvania, chose the Badgers over reported offers from Michigan State, West Virginia, Minnesota, Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, Duke, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and others.
KEEANU BENTON
The commitment of Janesville Craig defensive end Keeanu Benton in May marked the first addition to the Badgers’ 2019 recruiting class after wide receiver Nolan Groulx and safety Bryson Shaw both de-committed from the program.
The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Benton is unranked by all major recruiting sites but also had an offer from Iowa.
SPENCER LYTLE
Wisconsin beat out Clemson on Aug. 4 to secure a commitment from Spencer Lytle, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound outside linebacker from St. John Bosco High in Bellflower, Calif.
Lytle, who's ranked as a four-star prospect by Rivals and a three-star by 247sports and ESPN, held reported offers from more than 40 schools.
STEPHAN BRACEY
Grand Rapids, Mich., native Stephan Bracey flipped from Western Michigan to UW in November.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound wide receiver, a teammate of fellow 2019 commit Logan Brown at East Kentwood High, rates as a three-star prospect by 247sports and Rivals and held reported offers from Western Michigan, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Western Illinois.
MAEMA NJONGMETA
Three-star linebacker Maema Njongmeta announced that he’ll play for UW next season a day after former Badgers commitment Marcus Graham flipped to Stanford.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound prospect from Stevenson High in Lincolnshire, Ill., pledged to UW less than a week after receiving an offer and also held reported offers from Iowa State, Bowling Green, Army and a host of Ivy League schools.
CLAY CUNDIFF
The Badgers flipped Kansas commit Clay Cundiff after he visited Madison for UW’s win over Nebraska on Oct. 6.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound tight end, ranked as a consensus three-star prospect, pledged to the Jayhawks in June before changing his mind four months later. The Badgers were reportedly the only other Power Five offer Cundiff has received other than his home-state school.
TITUS TOLER
St. John Bosco High safety Titus Toler, who had been committed to Colorado, pledged to the Badgers on Twitter just five days before signing on Dec. 19.
The Bellflower, Calif., native and high school teammate of Spencer Lytle rates as a four-star prospect by 247sports and a three-star by Rivals and ESPN. He also held reported offers from California, Washington, Washington State, UCLA, Arizona State, Vanderbilt, Boston College, Minnesota, Illinois, Oregon State and others.
GRAHAM MERTZ
Quarterback Graham Mertz became the second commitment of UW’s 2019 class in October of 2017, and his recruitment has exploded since then.
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound signal caller from Blue Valley North High in Mission, Kansas, was unranked by all major recruiting sites at the time of his commitment but has since become a consensus four-star prospect and received offers from Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Arizona State.
JULIUS DAVIS
Menomonee Falls High running back Julius Davis committed to the Badgers’ 2019 class back in November of 2017, just three days after UW extended an offer.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Davis was unranked by all major recruiting sites at the time of his commitment but has since received offers from USC, Notre Dame and LSU.
JOE TIPPMANN
Joe Tippmann became the second big-time commitment by an offensive lineman in UW’s 2019 class when he pledged to the Badgers in December 2017.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Tippmann from Bishop Dwenger High in Fort Wayne, Indiana, rates as a four-star prospect by 247sports and earned three stars from Rivals and ESPN. He chose UW over offers from Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, Cincinnati and others.
JAMES WILLIAMS
The Badgers have developed quite the pipeline of recruiting talented cornerbacks from South Florida in recent years, and Williams will try to continue that trend. Previous successes include former UW cornerbacks Sojourn Shelton and Derrick Tindal along with current players Dontye Carriere-Williams and Faion Hicks.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Williams, from Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Fla., rates as a three-star prospect by Rivals and 247sports and also held reported offers from Florida, Louisville, Missouri, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Syracuse, South Florida and others.
DEAN ENGRAM
Washington D.C. athlete Dean Engram committed to the Badgers less than a week after an official visit in June.
The son of former Penn State wide receiver Bobby Engram chose UW over reported offers from the Nittany Lions, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Boston College and others.
At 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds, Dean Engram may still need to grow physically but could play either wide receiver or cornerback for the Badgers.
GIO PAEZ
Gio Paez became the second defensive lineman to join the Badgers’ 2019 class this summer when he announced his commitment June 18.
The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Paez will come to UW as a somewhat raw prospect with a basketball background but rates as a three-star player by Rivals and 247sports. He chose the Badgers over reported offers from Texas A&M, North Carolina State, Louisville, Kentucky and others.
SEMAR MELVIN
The Badgers’ list of South Florida cornerback prospects grew even longer when St. Thomas Aquinas product Semar Melvin committed two weeks after Williams.
Rated as a four- or three-star prospect by recruiting sites, the 5-foot-11, 163-pound Melvin chose UW over reported offers from Oklahoma, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Virginia, North Carolina, Purdue, Kentucky, Syracuse, Boston College, Cincinnati and others.
At the time of his commitment, Melvin tweeted that it “wasn’t an easy decision at all” but that he was “2,000 percent” committed to the Badgers.
RODAS JOHNSON
Defensive tackle Rodas Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound Columbus, Ohio, native, rates as a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN and a three-star by 247sports.
The St. Francis De Sales High player also held reported offers from Penn State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Florida, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, West Virginia, and a host of other Power Five programs.
QUAN EASTERLING
Akron native Quan Easterling flipped from his hometown college to join the University of Wisconsin's 2019 recruiting class less than two weeks before signing Dec. 19.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Archbishop Hoban High product committed to the Badgers after a visit to Madison. He rates as a three-star prospect by 247sports, a two-star by Rivals and is unranked by ESPN. Easterling could compete for the starting fullback job right away with the departure of senior Alec Ingold.
The one thing that could keep the UW football team from posting a 10-win (or better) season for the 10th time in 15 years is the one thing they can’t control — the schedule.
With another offseason behind them, the talent-rich prospects in the back end of Wisconsin's defense could be in for a much smoother ride in 2019.
UW opens the season next Friday at South Florida, but it remains to be seen when Quintez Cephus will make his season debut.
Dike became the fourth in-state prospect in the class and fifth overall.
Turner, from Farmington (Mich.) High School, became the 10th known member of UW’s 2020 class when he announced the news on Twitter.
No other running back in college football comes close to Taylor’s domination over the past two years, and the 2019 season presents an opportunity for the New Jersey native to cement his place among the greatest to ever play at Wisconsin — or anywhere else, for that matter.
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