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| Class | Position | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | TE | 6'5 | 230 lbs. |
| School | Composite Ranking | ||
| Orange, Calif. (Mater Dei) |
 No. 13 TE |
||
The unofficial social media ambassador for Wisconsin's recruits, Kyle Penniston is one of two tight ends to commit for the Badgers' Class of 2015. The second recruit to verbally commit after fellow early enrollee, quarterback Austin Kafentzis, the Santa Ana, Calif. native recently competed in the 2015 Under Armour All-America game, where he turned some heads. When he committed over 11 months ago, B5Q thought he could make an immediate impact:
Monday night, the Badgers received a commitment from Santa Ana, Calif., (Mater Dei) tight end Kyle Penniston. Penniston, a four-star talent, builds a solid foundation to this recruiting class along with quarterback Austin Kafentzis. With the Badgers not securing a commitment from a tight end this past season and the graduation of likely starter Sam Arneson in 2015, there is a definite chance that an athlete like Penniston could walk on campus and be a starter from day one.
Rankings
Rivals: 
5.8 (No. 6 TE)
Scout: (No. 28 TE)
ESPN: 80 (No. 10 TE)
247: 94 (No. 4 TE)
Verbally committed on February 17, 2014
Penniston committed to Wisconsin but also has offers from national powerhouses such as Florida State, Miami, and Oklahoma. Former assistants Jeff Genyk and Chad Kauha'aha'a are credited with swaying Penniston to the Badgers. He is part of a core of 2015 commits that have a very strong bond with each one another, and often was seen on social media such as Twitter to chat with his future Badger teammates along with other recruits to come to Madison:
Per Penniston, this group of players is close due to the fact they have the same goals, both on the field and in the classroom.
"We want to get that top-tier education. We want to play for a national title," Penniston said.
"I think we all have the same mindset going into this, which really helps."
Despite Andersen bolting to the Beavers and Genyk not likely to be retained by Chryst's staff, Penniston confirmed he would stick with the Badgers and was excited for his future.
Just had a GREAT call with Coach Chryst! Couldn't be more excited to be a Badger & play for him in just a few short weeks!⚪️ #OnWisconsin
— KP8⃣ (@kyle_penniston) December 21, 2014
Once again, a great talk with Coach Chryst! He definitely stands for everything the University of Wisconsin is about! ⚪️ #OnWisconsin
— KP8⃣ (@kyle_penniston) December 27, 2014
Highlights
Statistics (via MaxPreps.com)
Senior: 31 receptions, 419 yards, two touchdowns
Junior: 11 receptions, 131 yards, one touchdown