Wisconsin football recruiting: A guide to Badgers camp visitors, part 2

I'm doing this for you, you know.

You know that last post was over 2,000 words and I'm going to think some of you glazed over the differences between Vincent Hughes and Sam Schlueter. And that's fine.

The good news? That's done. It's time to look at the offered recruits, and talk about chances and commits. You know, the fun stuff. After all, this promises to be a weekend that's filled with more news than just Nick Thomas coming in to play linebacker.

The visitors who are here to visit

RB Michael Weber (Detroit): You know Michael Weber's talented. It's a testament to the depth of the board that he's only running as 1B. Wisconsin's going up against Ohio State and Michigan State, but if the Badgers manage to win Weber's commitment, he's definitely going to get playing time from day one.

ATH Brian Cole (Saginaw, Mich.): Cole is being recruited as a  cornerback, but in a twist, he's listed at 6'2. Alas, he does have the aggression and quickness that's requisite. The Badgers have had multiple visits rescheduled with Cole, but when you have a top-50 athlete that has mutual interest in you, you make certain he has a chance to get on campus.

TE David Edwards (Downers Grove, Ill.): So it's basically the same as it ever was. Illinois feels it's in and has some conventional wisdom to back that up. Iowa still wants him as a left tackle. Wisconsin is in and has him this weekend. It seems as if Edwards is likely to commit before the summer ends, but the Badgers need a good weekend to help them keep the allure of an in-state school far from Edwards' mind.

WR Brandyn Lee (West Hills, Calif.): He's a speedster who could well surprise and end the process early. Lee wants a school with good football and good academics, as his top two are Duke and Wisconsin; Duke hasn't offered quite yet. He's not as obvious a klaxon as Chris Orr or Sam Madden, but as you can tell, I'm talking myself into him committing as I type this.

OT Thiyo Lukusa (Traverse City, Mich.): This four-star class 2016 offensive tackle prospect already has offers from Michigan and Michigan State. The Wolverines are the favorites, but the Badgers are getting in early, and they can get themselves a foothold through tradition. As it stands, though, Lukusa is a longshot.

DE Joshua Alabi (Detroit): The other member of the Cass Tech tag team, Alabi is deciding between the Badgers, Sparty, and Tennessee. He's a tailor-made 3-4 defensive end, and as it stands now, the state of play is roughly equal for Alabi's three favorites ($).

OLB Kyler Manu (Pocatello, Idaho): Manu's a Boise State commit who has familiarity with Gary Andersen; that gets him to Madison. He's undersized, but he seems like a good run-stuffer. But he's also gaining traction on the West Coast, as Washington has offered and that offers a chance to play for Chris Petersen. This makes it more likely for Manu to flip, but less likely he goes to Madison.

OLB Marquise Copeland (Bedford, Ohio): Kentucky currently leads for him, but if Wisconsin finds its way into the race, it's definitely a good thing. Copeland has shown himself as a player who fights off blocks and could slot in as an inside or outside linebacker. He also has a good Hudl profile. You should check it out.

OLB/S Mohamed Barry (Loganville, Ga.): Syracuse has been doing all sorts of work with Barry to get him interested in the rare place where Wisconsin could win a winter-weather argument. The Badgers are also getting an unofficial visit from him. Now that said, spots are filling up fast. Barry's an active defender. This could be the weekend that changes his mind.

The commit alerts

To borrow a phrase from popular Canadian actor Aubrey Graham, we have started from the bottom and now we're here. Now sure, there's the likely possibility of an in-state offer and insta-commit coming, and I've already mentioned the Badgers possibility gaining a commit from Barry, Edwards or Lee.

What that leaves is four possible visitors with offers who could well throw down and commit. It's a big weekend, kids. Enjoy it.

CB Duke Shelley (Tucker, Ga.): Shelly has the classic Gary Andersen skill set (5'8, 165 pounds and good speed, aggression and ball skills). He has offers from Clemson and Tennessee, but as we know, one's definitely not committable, and another might not be. For the Badgers, they want him and they will give him a spot, like, right now.

S/OLB Omari Stringer (Crete, Ill.): He's another prospect the Badgers want very badly in that Leon Jacobs athlete class. He's lanky (6'4, 208 pounds) but has that aggression. Wisconsin offered June 2, and the process could well find an end and a commitment for the next toolsy linebacker in two weeks or less.

ILB Chris Orr (DeSoto, Texas): The Badgers have been recruiting Orr hard and are his best offer. Wisconsin has momentum in Texas, and there's still a quick route to the field in Madison. It's entirely possible that he leaves camp this weekend without committing, as he does want an offer from Arkansas. But the Badgers have space available, and the way commits could be popping off this weekend, Orr could well grab a spot.

OT Sam Madden (Barnegat, N.J.): If he doesn't commit, something would seem to have gone wrong. The Badgers still need offensive linemen, and Madden is a burly force of nature. Wisconsin leads here, and he's going to meet the staff. If he doesn't seem like he would go off and trip nerds because their books make him feel angry, he should be among the double-digits of commits in this recruiting class.