Wisconsin football recruiting: Badgers offer 2018 safety Reggie Pearson

In recent weeks, we've been talking about how the Wisconsin Badgers have been aggressive with the star quality of their 2018 offers. Time will tell if those efforts truly pay dividends, but the Badgers have been able to target prospects and time their offers effectively so they can build a rapport with quality prospects before they find that they're knocking on a door that has nine top-12 teams.

River Rouge, Mich., safety Reggie Pearson doesn't have those rankings yet, but with their Thursday offer, the Badgers are in the lead for a top-notch prospect nonetheless.

Listed at 5'10, 180 pounds, Pearson is a prospect with traits you would want in both a strong and free safety. He knows how to diagnose and fill in run support, with an ability to make the play and potentially flip the field, as he went for 77 tackles and forced four fumbles last season, recovering one himself. One has to figure the Badgers like him as a free safety, and he provided quality play as a centerfielder in the passing game, too. Add the on-field play to his 4.0 GPA, and you've got someone worth watching.

Pearson already officially visited on May 14 with his cousins, 2017 four-star cornerback Ambry Thomas, 2017 four-star safety Jaylen Kelly-Powell and 2019 cornerback Xavier Goldsmith. It remains to be seen if the Badgers get anything more than a longer look from any of his family members, but they lead on dint of best offer for Pearson, though Iowa State and Syracuse are other power-five offers. If he's the lone commit to Wisconsin of the four, he's a mighty fine pick-up.