Checking in on Wisconsin’s 2019 recruiting class

Writer’s note: Please note I tried to find as many public stats possible for these recruits, as some sites are not as trustworthy as others.

Also, both 2019 Wisconsin commits Keeanu Benton and Julius Davis are part of a vote that could help them get into the Under Armour All-America Game. Check out the link here.

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The current number of Wisconsin Badgers commits for the class of 2019 still stands at 13 scholarship pledges, with another two as preferred walk-ons.

With so much going on with the current team and playing under the lights of Camp Randall Stadium this weekend against Nebraska—and there will be some commits and recruits coming into town—B5Q felt we should break down the Badgers’ class further (and we’ll also have an article out this weekend on who is visiting).

Leo Chenal

The younger brother of Wisconsin walk-on fullback, John Chenal, the senior is having a monster year for Grantsburg. According to WisSports.net, Leo has rushed for 763 yards on 11.4 yards per carry with 22...yes, 22...rushing touchdowns. He has also caught five passes for 85 yards with a receiving touchdown, along with completely a 41-yard pass for a score.

Defensively, Chenal has tallied 51 tackles, six for loss, along with a sack and interception.

Older brother had a fun tongue-in-cheek tweet for his younger sibling last month:

Graham Mertz

The four-star 2019 quarterback returned from an injury that was suffered in mid-September to lead his team to a win last week. Through five games, Blue Valley North is 2-3 but the signal caller has completed 53.4 percent of his passes for 917 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Logan Brown

The five-star offensive lineman according to 247Sports composite plays for East Kentwood. According to MaxPreps, the Falcons are 5-1 this season.

He also delivered this crushing block off a pull earlier this season:

Julius Davis

The Menomonee Falls, Wis., product has only played in two games due to injury but has rushed for 537 yards and six touchdowns on 11.2 yards per carry, according to WisSports.Net.

Check out more about Davis’s status from Jesse Temple’s mailbag article last week in The Athletic ($).

Hayden Rucci

The Lititz, Pa. (Warwick) tight end is putting up quite a senior campaign. According to LancasterOnline.com, Rucci has caught 16 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns.

Warwick is 5-1 and has outscored its opponents 279-50 in six games.

Dean Engram

Engram is currently a captain for Gonzaga, which is 6-0 heading into this week’s contest.

Here’s Engram grabbing a nice interception last week:

Keeanu Benton

Janesville, Wis. (Craig) currently sits at 5-2 in the Big Eight Conference after a rough 42-7 loss at Middleton last Friday night on the road.

However, be sure to check our B5Q’s feature on the three-star, multi-sport athlete and what he could bring to the Badgers that was published earlier this week. Here’s the full interview with the Wisconsin commit as well:

James Williams

According to MaxPreps.com, Chaminade-Madonna currently has a 4-2 record.

Semar Melvin

Through five games, St. Thomas Aquinas is 4-1 this season. 247Sports’ Evan Flood spoke with the prep standout cornerback in an article that was published just last week ($).

Joe Tippmann

Tippmann’s high school, Bishop Dwenger in Fort Wayne, Ind., currently holds a 7-0 record heading into this week’s contest.

Gio Paez

The three-star defensive lineman plays for William Amos Hough High School down in Cornelius, N.C.

According to MaxPreps, Hough is currently 6-0. Here’s the Wisconsin commit talking after a hard fought win last week.

Spencer Lytle

Still waiting for some updated stats on Lytle, the newest commit for Wisconsin back in August. However, St. John Bosco is 6-0 and ranked No. 2 in the nation according to Max Preps.

Marcus Graham

As reported earlier this year, the Wisconsin commit unfortunately suffered an ACL injury that will cost him his senior season at Mountain Island Charter.