Wisconsin football picks up fourth 2023 verbal commit in three days

Consensus three-star linebacker Tyler Jansey became the first member of the Badgers’ 2023 recruiting class when he announced his commitment on Jan. 28.

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound inside linebacker ranks as the 10th-best player in his class in Illinois, per Rivals. He had 36 tackles and 5½ sacks in a six-game season as a sophomore and followed that up with 88 tackles and 16 tackles for loss in 11 games as a junior, according to MaxPreps. Jansey chose UW over offers from Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Miami (Ohio) and others.

James Durand became the first offensive lineman in the 2023 class when he committed on May 6.

The Chandler, Arizona, product is a 6-foot-6, 285-pound tackle/guard who had a number of offers. Arizona, BYU, California, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa State, Oregon State and Utah were among his suitors. Durand visited UW in late March and received his offer that weekend.

Consensus three-star defensive back Justin Taylor became the first member of the secondary to join the class when he verbally committed on May 13.

Taylor is a 6-foot, 185-pound athlete who could play cornerback or safety at the next level. He held offers to Kansas State, Army, Air Force and others before committing to UW. The Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Illinois) product is a native of Broadview, Illinois.

The Badgers dipped into the talent-rich state of Ohio for talented running back Jaquez Keyes. Keyes is a four-star prospect according to Rivals, but a three-star in 247Sports’ rankings.

UW's recruiting success in Illinois continued with the commitment of three-star defensive lineman Trey Pierce. Pierce joined the class on May 19.

Pierce is listed at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds and his recruitment was heating up when he committed to UW. He held offers from Iowa State, Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue and others. His highlight tapes show good upper-body strength and the ability to stay low and not get moved off his spot.

Three-star tailback Nate White from Milwaukee Rufus King became the sixth recruit in the 2023 class when he announced his decision in late May.

UW added long and strong outside linebacker Jordan Mayer to the recruiting class on June 12. 

Mayer, a three-star prospect listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, played defensive end in high school but will join the Badgers' outside linebacker room. The former Boston College commit was choosing between UW, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Virginia Tech. Mayer hails from Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania.

Three-star athlete Collin Dixon had chances to play wide receiver and safety in college, but chose to join UW's wide receiver room. 

The Tallmadge, Ohio, product had almost 1,500 receiving yards as a junior and had offers from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Purdue and others. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound receiver committed June 13, a day after his official visit to UW. 

UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat dipped into Texas to secure a commitment from rising cornerback prospect A.J. Tisdell. 

The College Station native is a three-star recruit according to Rivals and he held offers from Baylor, California, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and others before choosing UW. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Tisdell shows fluidity in his hips and strong hands at the point of attack.

Three-star receiver prospect Trech Kekahuna added another member to the Hawaii to UW pipeline when he verbally committed on June 19. 

Kekahuna, listed at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, attended Saint Louis High School in Honolulu, the same program that produced UW outside linebacker Nick Herbig. Kekahuna is slated to play his senior season at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. 

The Badgers pulled four-star cornerback Jace Arnold out of Georgia to secure their 11th commitment of the class on June 22. 

Arnold, a 5-foot-11, 184-pound prospect from Marietta, had offers from Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisville, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt, among others. 

UW snagged another recruit out of Illinois when Jamel Howard Jr. announced his commitment to the Badgers on June 26. 

UW landed a fifth recruit out of Illinois when Chris Terek (Glen Ellyn, Illinois) committed on June 29. 

Terek is a 6-foot-6, 290-pound offensive lineman who is most likely to fit at tackle in the Badgers system. The Glenbard West High School product picked the Badgers over offers from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and others. 

The Badgers finally got their quarterback in the 2023 class when Cole LaCrue committed in early November.

Three-star defensive back Jonas Duclona became the first recruit of the Luke Fickell era to commit to UW. He was originally committed to Fickell and his staff at Cincinnati, but chose to follow them to UW. 

He had more than 30 scholarship offers out of high school. Duclona, listed at 6 foot and 170 pounds on his Hudl profile, is slated to play in the 2023 All-American Bowl in January. 

A second Cincinnati commit flipped to the Badgers when Braedyn Moore picked UW.

The four-star safety is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 15 athlete in the class. He's listed by 247Sports at 6 foot 1½ and 190 pounds. 

UW finally landed a tight end in the 2023 class when Tucker Ashcraft made his commitment to the Badgers. 

Ashcraft was originally committed to Colorado, but reopened his recruitment after a coaching change for the Buffs. The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 5 and 235 pounds. 

Three-star defensive back Jonas Duclona became the first recruit of the Luke Fickell era to commit to UW. He was originally committed to Fickell and his staff at Cincinnati, but chose to follow them to UW. 

He had more than 30 scholarship offers out of high school. Duclona, listed at 6 foot and 170 pounds on his Hudl profile, is slated to play in the 2023 All-American Bowl in January. 

A second Cincinnati commit flipped to the Badgers when Braedyn Moore picked UW.

The four-star safety is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 15 athlete in the class. He's listed by 247Sports at 6 foot 1½ and 190 pounds. 

UW finally landed a tight end in the 2023 class when Tucker Ashcraft made his commitment to the Badgers. 

Ashcraft was originally committed to Colorado, but reopened his recruitment after a coaching change for the Buffs. The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 5 and 235 pounds. 

The Badgers picked up an intriuiging linebacker recruit out from a post-graduate school in Christian Alliegro. 

The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 3 and 220 pounds, and he was a three-star lacrosse recruit as well.

The Badgers landed another former Cincinnati commit in four-star defensive back Amare Snowden on signing day. 

Snowden was considering UW before he verbally committed to the Bearcats, but opened his recruiting after Luke Fickell became the Badgers coach. He signed with UW on Dec. 21. He is rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and a three-star by Rivals. 

Luke Fickell and the Badgers landed a signing-day flip from receiver Trech Kekahuna. 

The Badgers finalized their recruiting class on Feb. 1, 2023 when defensive tackle Jamel Howard Jr. pledged to re-join the program. Howard was committed to UW under coach Paul Chryst, but decommitted after Chryst's firing. He was one of the top targets of new coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers held off offers from Illinois, LSU, Miami (Fla.) and Michigan to secure Howard's commitment. 

Howard is listed at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, and could help fill the void at nose guard left by Keeanu Benton. He was a consensus three-star recruit. 

Consensus three-star linebacker Tyler Jansey became the first member of the Badgers’ 2023 recruiting class when he announced his commitment on Jan. 28.

James Durand became the first offensive lineman in the 2023 class when he committed on May 6.

Consensus three-star defensive back Justin Taylor became the first member of the secondary to join the class when he verbally committed on May 13.

Three-star tailback Nate White from Milwaukee Rufus King became the sixth recruit in the 2023 class when he announced his decision in late May.

UW added long and strong outside linebacker Jordan Mayer to the recruiting class on June 12. 

Mayer, a three-star prospect listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, played defensive end in high school but will join the Badgers' outside linebacker room. The former Boston College commit was choosing between UW, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Virginia Tech. Mayer hails from Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania.

UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat dipped into Texas to secure a commitment from rising cornerback prospect A.J. Tisdell. 

The Badgers pulled four-star cornerback Jace Arnold out of Georgia to secure their 11th commitment of the class on June 22. 

The Badgers finally got their quarterback in the 2023 class when Cole LaCrue committed in early November.

Three-star defensive back Jonas Duclona became the first recruit of the Luke Fickell era to commit to UW. He was originally committed to Fickell and his staff at Cincinnati, but chose to follow them to UW. 

He had more than 30 scholarship offers out of high school. Duclona, listed at 6 foot and 170 pounds on his Hudl profile, is slated to play in the 2023 All-American Bowl in January. 

A second Cincinnati commit flipped to the Badgers when Braedyn Moore picked UW.

The four-star safety is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 15 athlete in the class. He's listed by 247Sports at 6 foot 1½ and 190 pounds. 

UW finally landed a tight end in the 2023 class when Tucker Ashcraft made his commitment to the Badgers. 

Ashcraft was originally committed to Colorado, but reopened his recruitment after a coaching change for the Buffs. The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 5 and 235 pounds. 

The Badgers picked up an intriuiging linebacker recruit out from a post-graduate school in Christian Alliegro. 

The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 3 and 220 pounds, and he was a three-star lacrosse recruit as well.

The Badgers landed another former Cincinnati commit in four-star defensive back Amare Snowden on signing day. 

Snowden was considering UW before he verbally committed to the Bearcats, but opened his recruiting after Luke Fickell became the Badgers coach. He signed with UW on Dec. 21. He is rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and a three-star by Rivals. 

Luke Fickell and the Badgers landed a signing-day flip from receiver Trech Kekahuna. 

He was a three-star prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings, but a four-star per Rivals. 

The Badgers finalized their recruiting class on Feb. 1, 2023 when defensive tackle Jamel Howard Jr. pledged to re-join the program. Howard was committed to UW under coach Paul Chryst, but decommitted after Chryst's firing. He was one of the top targets of new coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers held off offers from Illinois, LSU, Miami (Fla.) and Michigan to secure Howard's commitment.