The day after Wisconsin's spring football game at Camp Randall, the Badgers received a commitment from in-state defensive end Chikwe Obasih. The junior at Brookfield Central HS is either a four-star or three-star recruit, depending on your preferred recruit rating service. Obasih, who received offers from Vanderbilt and Yale, will clearly bring the type of academic pedigree to Madison that the Badgers adore. He intends on entering the actuarial science and risk management majors in the School of Business.
Allen Trieu of Scout.com describes Obasih as a likely weakside end in college who just needs to add strength so he can effectively play the run: "An edge rusher who is light on his feet, Obasih has shown the athleticism and agility to make it tough for offensive linemen. He has a good spin move and his overall quickness is tough for would-be blockers. He shows good ability in pursuit and does not quit on plays."
Obasih was the second four/three-star recruit to commit to Wisconsin on Sunday, as Ohio WR Rob Wheelwright verbally committed to the Badgers earlier in the day. Scout rated Obasih the second-best Class of 2013 prospect in the state of Wisconsin. I've posted a video with some of his high school highlights at the end of this post. He is exactly the type of player Bret Bielema wants on his team- smart and talented.
Wednesday Links:
Here are some statistics about how Wisconsin measures up nationally when it comes to churning out NFL draft picks. The Badgers certainly hold their own in this department, further strengthening the program's reputation for developing talent.
Wisconsin's deep linebacking corps is a healthy problem to have, writes Ian McCue of the Badger Herald.
Former Wisconsin running back Michael Bennett is in trouble with the feds for his role in a identity theft and fraudulent tax refund scheme. He last played for the Raiders in 2010.
Not Wisconsin related, but If you haven't seen it already, this Sarah Phillips story is a fascinating read. She is a now-former ESPN.com contributor who may or may not be a con artist.
Jarrod Uthoff will not appeal the Big Ten restrictions on his release from Wisconsin. Jeff Potrykus speculates that Creighton and Iowa State are the two favorites for his transfer destination.
The Bengals had Kevin Zeitler and David DeCastro rated as equals on their big board, which is why they traded down and took Zeitler instead of taking DeCastro when they had the chance at pick 21.
Here's that video full of Obasih highlights that I promised: