What’s left to accomplish in 2017?
Wisconsin recently crossed off a big need in the 2017 class with a commitment from three-star running back Jonathan Taylor. The staff also received pledges from long snapper Adam Bay and wide receiver Emmet Perry and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, bringing their scholarship total in the current cycle to 15.
With a number of intriguing prospects still on the board - Scott Nelson, Christian Cumber and Danny Davis, among others - how many more commitments can Wisconsin accept before Signing Day in February?
According to a source, the Badgers have one spot remaining. But here’s where it gets a little tricky.
“They have one spot left. There are three guys they will wait a certain amount of time for,” the source said. “After that time period is up, they have a next list of three that they would take.”
Now, the following is how I interpreted that quote and does not necessarily reflect Wisconsin’s current recruiting board:
One would assume two locks in that top group are Nelson, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound projected safety and Cumber, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound projected corner/nickel back. James Houston and Jaylen Kelly-Powell likely fall in this same category, though the staff has a realistic feeling that Houston will stick with his commitment to Florida and are even less optimistic when it comes to Kelly-Powell, who is considered a Michigan lean.
“Waiting a certain amount of time for” would certainly apply to Nelson, who will visit Iowa officially this upcoming weekend and Cumber, who is expected to visit Michigan State on Nov. 19. Decisions could both come soon after those visits - though I think Nelson is closer at this point - with the Hawkeyes and Spartans being the top competition for UW, respectively, in their recruitments.
Assuming those four make up the top tier, the next group the staff could move on would include Davis, Purdue commit C.J. Hayes and, potentially, Kansas sleeper Harry Van Dyne, among others. Receiver may not be a huge need in this class with Perry and Cade Green already on board, but the staff may opt to go best player available down the stretch. It also wouldn’t be shocking to see a few new names surface, if needed.
What I envision happening is Wisconsin receiving a commitment from either Nelson or Cumber before the close of the month. I’m guessing it’s being communicated to them that spots are limited and if UW is their top pick, they may have to act quickly (ex: Taylor’s situation when the Badgers brought running back Antwuan Branch in for an official visit).
Still a long way to go, but we expect 16 scholarship signees in 2017.
Patterson’s high school coach weighs in on his situation
One of the bigger underachievers so far from the 2014 class has been former three-star defensive tackle Jeremy Patterson, who has yet to play this season despite an injury from starting nose tackle Olive Sagapolu. Instead of using the redshirt sophomore, Wisconsin has opted to bump Conor Sheehy inside and spell him with true freshman Garrett Rand.
Once thought of as a potential star for the Badgers, Patterson, listed at 6-foot-3 and 350 pounds, hasn't even been on the travel roster at times this season.
“I don’t know, it’s very confusing to me,” Patterson’s high school (Wayne County in Georgia) coach, Jody Grooms, told BadgerBlitz.com. “I think he let himself get out of shape and has not been able to get out the doghouse.
“I have always told kids that college athletics is 365 days a year. Some get it. Some don’t.”
With UW sitting at 89 on the projected scholarship distribution chart, some have pointed at Patterson as a potential transfer. His high school teammate, wide receiver Krenwick Sanders, followed that path this past fall.
“I hope he hangs in there,” Grooms said. “What a great place to earn a degree.”
Odds and Ends
*Assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft recently watched 2018 forward Jarvis Thomas-Omersa at his high school. The 6-foot-6, 180-pound junior from Minnesota visited Wisconsin unofficially earlier this fall.
*Four-star quarterback Jack Tuttle will be back on campus this weekend when the Badgers host Illinois. Tuttle, along with Artur Sitkowski and Ben Bryant, are UW’s top three quarterback targets in the 2018 class.
*Senior highlights of Wisconsin commit Aaron Vopal:
Wisconsin recently crossed off a big need in the 2017 class with a commitment from three-star running back Jonathan Taylor. The staff also received pledges from long snapper Adam Bay and wide receiver Emmet Perry and outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, bringing their scholarship total in the current cycle to 15.
With a number of intriguing prospects still on the board - Scott Nelson, Christian Cumber and Danny Davis, among others - how many more commitments can Wisconsin accept before Signing Day in February?
According to a source, the Badgers have one spot remaining. But here’s where it gets a little tricky.
“They have one spot left. There are three guys they will wait a certain amount of time for,” the source said. “After that time period is up, they have a next list of three that they would take.”
Now, the following is how I interpreted that quote and does not necessarily reflect Wisconsin’s current recruiting board:
One would assume two locks in that top group are Nelson, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound projected safety and Cumber, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound projected corner/nickel back. James Houston and Jaylen Kelly-Powell likely fall in this same category, though the staff has a realistic feeling that Houston will stick with his commitment to Florida and are even less optimistic when it comes to Kelly-Powell, who is considered a Michigan lean.
“Waiting a certain amount of time for” would certainly apply to Nelson, who will visit Iowa officially this upcoming weekend and Cumber, who is expected to visit Michigan State on Nov. 19. Decisions could both come soon after those visits - though I think Nelson is closer at this point - with the Hawkeyes and Spartans being the top competition for UW, respectively, in their recruitments.
Assuming those four make up the top tier, the next group the staff could move on would include Davis, Purdue commit C.J. Hayes and, potentially, Kansas sleeper Harry Van Dyne, among others. Receiver may not be a huge need in this class with Perry and Cade Green already on board, but the staff may opt to go best player available down the stretch. It also wouldn’t be shocking to see a few new names surface, if needed.
What I envision happening is Wisconsin receiving a commitment from either Nelson or Cumber before the close of the month. I’m guessing it’s being communicated to them that spots are limited and if UW is their top pick, they may have to act quickly (ex: Taylor’s situation when the Badgers brought running back Antwuan Branch in for an official visit).
Still a long way to go, but we expect 16 scholarship signees in 2017.
Patterson’s high school coach weighs in on his situation
One of the bigger underachievers so far from the 2014 class has been former three-star defensive tackle Jeremy Patterson, who has yet to play this season despite an injury from starting nose tackle Olive Sagapolu. Instead of using the redshirt sophomore, Wisconsin has opted to bump Conor Sheehy inside and spell him with true freshman Garrett Rand.
Once thought of as a potential star for the Badgers, Patterson, listed at 6-foot-3 and 350 pounds, hasn't even been on the travel roster at times this season.
“I don’t know, it’s very confusing to me,” Patterson’s high school (Wayne County in Georgia) coach, Jody Grooms, told BadgerBlitz.com. “I think he let himself get out of shape and has not been able to get out the doghouse.
“I have always told kids that college athletics is 365 days a year. Some get it. Some don’t.”
With UW sitting at 89 on the projected scholarship distribution chart, some have pointed at Patterson as a potential transfer. His high school teammate, wide receiver Krenwick Sanders, followed that path this past fall.
“I hope he hangs in there,” Grooms said. “What a great place to earn a degree.”
Odds and Ends
*Assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft recently watched 2018 forward Jarvis Thomas-Omersa at his high school. The 6-foot-6, 180-pound junior from Minnesota visited Wisconsin unofficially earlier this fall.
*Four-star quarterback Jack Tuttle will be back on campus this weekend when the Badgers host Illinois. Tuttle, along with Artur Sitkowski and Ben Bryant, are UW’s top three quarterback targets in the 2018 class.
*Senior highlights of Wisconsin commit Aaron Vopal:
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