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After all of the offensive success Wisconsin enjoyed early on the 2017 recruiting trail, most of the Badgers' recent attention has been on the defense, especially at linebacker. It's put them in races where the offer sheets would normally preclude them from gaining footholds, and on Saturday, it landed them a commitment from Bolingbrook, Ill., three-star defensive end Izayah Green-May.
Green-May is intriguing even without looking at his Hudl profile, as linebackers currently listed at 6'6, 205 pounds are not exactly a common proposition. Add in the Hudl, and you have a prospect that pops off the screen (see below). Most of the time, he's playing with his hand off the ground, and he's a strong attacker off the edge. Also, he has experience dropping back into coverage, and was assigned to block the gunners of his conference on punt returns.
Green-May's recruiting process closed relatively quickly after the Badgers' offer on March 12. Mississippi State and Michigan State offered thereafter, and the Spartans' on April 5 proved serious enough to put Wisconsin into a recruiting battle. Add those to offers from Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Syracuse and Virginia, and Green-May was starting to rise up. Ultimately, the Badgers landed a versatile prospect with the upside to surpass his star rating.
PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT I'VE COMMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN!! #OnWisconsin #UDUB pic.twitter.com/xpSkOhgN6N
— ιζαγαh (@__izayahh) April 23, 2016
Green-May's commitment made Saturday even busier for the Badgers, who played their spring game and got their first two basketball commitments for the 2016 cycle. More news could be on the horizon, too.
Wisconsin '17 commits here: Tyler Beach, Logan Bruss, Jack Coan, Jake Ferguson & Aaron Vopal. All sitting near the coveted Izayah Green-May
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) April 23, 2016
Rankings
247Sports (composite): 3 stars, 85.29 rating, No. 659 national, No. 37 weak-side defensive end, No. 11 Illinois
247Sports: 3 stars, 87 rating, No. 525 national, No. 29 weak-side defensive end, No. 9 Illinois
Rivals: 3 stars, No. 11 Illinois
Scout: Three stars, No. 43 defensive end, No. 6 Midwest defensive end, No. 2 Illinois defensive end
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