Wisconsin recruiting: some football and basketball updates

Recruiting is the lifeblood of any major college athletics team, but following it closely as a fan can sometimes be difficult and can often be time consuming. We’ll try and condense all the recruiting news you can use into this bi-weekly post. It’ll include updates on current commits, including stats from their high school games, as well as news on players the Badgers are still pursuing. Let’s get down to business!

Wisconsin basketball

• The Badgers sent the squad out to see recent commit Chucky Hepburn. The 2021 4-star PG from Nebraska picked the Badgers over a host of other offers and is an exciting prospect for the future.

• Speaking of exciting prospects for the future, 2021 4-star SG Julian Roper (Franklin, Mich.) sure can pass the rock. I know his ability to shoot will be more important to his, and potentially Wisconsin’s, future but man...he passes the ball well.

Roper is scheduled to be on campus for an official visit during the Iowa football game (Nov. 9) and hopefully Gard can close this one down.

Football recruiting

• 2021 4-star S Hunter Wohler (Muskego) is going to be a real tough get for the Badgers. While he is an in-state prospect and the Badgers have a head start on everyone else, schools like LSU and Notre Dame and Ohio State (who have offered him a scholarship) are going to keep calling.

Hopefully Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard can shut this one down early, but it’ll be hard when the blue bloods keep knocking on his door.

• Look, you score seven touchdowns in a game, I’m going to post about it. I’m a simple man. 2021 3-star QB commit Deacon Hill (Santa Barbara, Calif.) did just that in his game last week and, well, here we are talking about it!

• Well, well, well. A New Jersey RB is coming to campus.

Jalen Berger (Ramsey, N.J.) is a 2020 4-star tailback from powerhouse Don Bosco Prep. The 247 Composite has him as the No. 11 RB in the class and the No. 102 player overall in the country.

If you look at his interests on his 247 profile there doesn’t seem to be a front-runner that is head and shoulders above the competition for his services. LSU, Rutgers, Penn State and the Badgers are all listed as “warm” but as far as Crystal Balls go he has: one for Rutgers, one for Ohio State and then the lead recruiting analyst has a question mark for him.

He also holds offers from Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and a laundry list of other schools. He is a prospect in high demand is what I’m trying to say and getting him on campus is a big deal for the Badgers.

I would imagine having a current running back that is setting all sorts of records and is from the same state as him is also having a positive effect. I couldn’t find any senior year highlights from Berger, but here is his junior year tape. There is an absolutely bonkers play at just after the two minute mark that I recommend you check out.

As far as evaluations go...dude is fast. That is clear. He also lines up at WR some and can catch the ball in traffic. Having a three-down RB would be really nice for the Badgers. I’ve seen mention, multiple times, that his pad level is too high while running and as I am not a professional scout I will take their word for it.

Anywho, Berger is a good prospect. I hope he likes Madison.