Wisconsin football recruiting: Updates on Mike Weber, Brian Cole, Christian Folau

It feels like a slow recruiting week. One can understand why: when there isn't a home game, there's just simply less news to report. And when there are few spots in play, you start thinking of writing an entirely-too-early preview for 2016.

But then there's always the piece of seeming weirdness that makes things interesting. These are tales of the capricious whims of teenagers, after all.

We'll start with an interesting item from a top target.

Brian Cole: The four-star Michigan running back commit is visiting Purdue this weekend. I know what you're thinking: Sure Purdue's not the worst team ever anymore, but is Brian Cole really visiting Purdue? Because there is Wisconsin coming.

Well, the allure of Purdue is that Cole would get a quality education and a chance to go pro as a legend instead of a cog as Darrell Hazell rebuilds.

Of course, the fact that there's a second chance to see the Wisconsin running game doesn't hurt things. I mean, there's at least a mutual interest between Cole and Wisconsin. It's a second look at the running game where the Badgers are offering a chance to play right away -- there's definitely a reason to be excited by this. But there are two reasons to relax on feeling like this is a commit alert.

1. While Cole is wavering, he has been planning on an early enrollment to Michigan, and the Wolverines have a real chance to get to a bowl game. It's pretty rare for a team to lose a coach before a bowl game. That might force a decision.

2. Secondly, while Cole's planning on being in Lincoln for the Nebraska-Minnesota game in two weeks, the real threat to the proceedings is that he's planning on visiting Ohio State in December. Now sure, there won't be the gameday atmosphere and it's entirely possible the Buckeyes say, "Come to Ohio State, be a safety." But they are the Buckeyes, and Cole could well become a five-star athlete simply by committing to Urban Meyer.

But then again, he is taking a second look at the Badgers' running game, even if it's going to be Hazell that's making the pitch. Even if Cole doesn't come to Madison, the Badgers did get another 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction this week for Texas commit Jordan Stevenson. Running back should be well locked down.

Mike Weber: And then there are the reports that yet another Michigan commit is starting to waver. Reports indicate that Weber, the four-star Detroit (Cass Tech) running back prospect, is looking to visit Ohio State at some point. That's not why we're here, though. We're here because of this tweet from Rivals' Josh Heimholdt.

#Badgers have re-emerged in #Rivals250 RB Mike Weber's recruitment just in the last few days http://t.co/qQ6jY4HOK7 pic.twitter.com/tM9o2eL7wJ

— Josh Helmholdt (@JoshHelmholdt) November 5, 2014

That's right, the Badgers are making a charge toward Mike Weber again... which doesn't affect Cole or Stevenson one bit. It would seem insane for the Badgers to somehow pull three running backs at this late date, but if they get a Weber official visit between now and the end of the season, it may amp up the pressure to lock down a quality visitor from flip city.

Christian Folau: Folau, the four-star linebacker from Salt Lake City who would arrive in Wisconsin in 2017, has set an official visit to Madison for the Minnesota game on Nov. 29. As it stands, the Badgers lead because they kept after him while he was a Stanford commit, and unless there's an official visit before then, the Badgers just might have a commit alert for that game.

Jake Whalen: After the weekend acceptances of preferred walk-on offers to Stevens Point defensive end Andrew Ruzek and Oak Creek cornerback Elijah Strong, eyes turned to Wausau linebacker Jake Whalen to see if he would be the next in-state prospect to accept a walk-on position. As it stands, Whalen's taking an unofficial visit to Minnesota this weekend and an unofficial visit to Iowa for the Wisconsin game on the 22nd. If they offer him a spot, he'll rightfully take it. The Badgers are pretty well locked in at scholarships for linebacker.

Jalen Julius: As it stands right now, four-star New Smyrna Beach, Fla., guard Jalen Merrick is the only official uncommitted visitor for Wisconsin's game against Nebraska. Julius, a three-star cornerback from Winter Garden, Fla., had been listed as a prospect that could come, but unfortunately those plans have not been finalized quite yet ($). He's definitely a very interesting prospect with a quality Hudl profile. A planned decision between Wisconsin, Louisville and Ole Miss in January works in his favor, as while he might not be on the UW interest level of an Issac James or Rashard Causey, he's really close. And the Badgers are likely not going to swing both.