Wisconsin recruiting: Several Badgers targets expected to visit Madison this weekend

If you're one of those people who's been wondering why exactly we haven't been keeping up to date with the visitor news for home football weekends -- first of all -- there hasn't really been too much. The Western Illinois game had no official visitors. The Bowling Green game had two UW commits visiting (Kevin Estes and Chris Orr) and presented more basketball implications than football.

This week? This week has implications. Big implications. Let's take a look at the expected visitors for this weekend's game vs. South Florida.

The official visitors

RB Jordan Scarlett: So I got a little cocky when I talked about Ohio State's official visitors on the weekend of Sept. 6, when the high-four-star Miami commit was scheduled to be in Columbus. The Buckeyes had two other running back targets that same weekend. I was like, "the Badgers would never do that."

Turns out, they're doing that.

Not to say that Scarlett isn't still going to be the high-pedigree, choice No. 1 running back on the tippy-top of the board. But Montee Ball's time -- yes, the former Badgers star will be visiting Camp Randall Stadium -- is going to be split instead of just trying to promote Wisconsin for Scarlett. Also, I should stop being cocky. I look stupid doing that (because this is clearly about me).

RB Jordan Stevenson: So this is the interesting part. Stevenson's the four-star back from South Oak Cliff in Dallas who is currently committed to Texas. And he's visiting this weekend. Now, you could say that this is just because, "Hey, neat, you get to meet Montee Ball!"

But you'll see that Stevenson is taking this trip on his own. There's no Takadrae Williams or X'zaviae Ausborne (his two South Oak Cliff teammates that have already committed to UW) coming this weekend. He's the last reported visit on the list. In fact, the news didn't break until after the Bowling Green game. Does this mean he's willing to be impressed? Yes. Does this mean the Badgers are going to get a commit? No. But the chances of that eventually happening are much better than 5 percent right now.

ILB Jordan Griffin: The three-star linebacker from Seffner, Florida, has long been expected to be the Badgers' next commit. He was the first on this list to set up an official visit to Madison. It might not be a surprise, as this seems it was inevitable since about early August, but he's a great linebacker prospect. He'll make some plays down the line.

WR Shaquery Wilson: The Coral Gables, Florida, prospect and three-star athlete who currently holds a Georgia commit might be a prime flip for Wisconsin. The Bulldogs are looking at him as a defensive back and are loading up on other athletes at the position. This same thing happened last year with Georgia, and it netted Wisconsin Krenwick Sanders. This year? Wilson's a quick dude who's 6'3 and can block very well as a wide receiver. If the Badgers get the flip, it will be a good thing.

CB Rashard Causey: The St. Thomas Aquinas prospect, teammate of Scarlett and current Florida Atlantic three-star commit has been 1A for the Badgers at cornerback for a while now. That has Wisconsin in a position over Kentucky and South Carolina. Causey is taller than the average Gary Andersen cornerback target, but he does have the athleticism and aggressiveness to find a place on the Badgers if he felt so inclined to flip.

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RB Bradrick Shaw: Your third running back prospect and only the second uncommitted visitor for the weekend, Shaw being from Birmingham, Alabama, makes him more interesting than average three-star prospects. Currently, the Badgers are firing the opening salvo in terms of his official visit, but the recruiting is open. There's a top five here, and again, Wisconsin isn't the SEC team he's wanted to play for since he was a kid. But it should be another big day running the ball this weekend for the Badgers. You never know.

Bottom line

If Griffin doesn't commit in the days after his visit, something likely went wrong. As it stands, there's also a reasonable chance for a second commit between Causey, Shaw, Stevenson and Wilson. Regardless, it looks like this weekend could start another roll of commits for Wisconsin

Isaac James update

This superb athlete and three-star cornerback prospect from Carmel, Indiana, has family obligations for this weekend, so he moved his visit to the Oct. 11 Illinois game. He's likely still CB1 on Wisconsin's board, and unless you hear word of another visit, there's no reason to go off and panic. James will likely be the only uncommitted official visitor that weekend. which could help the Badgers' odds.