Wisconsin football recruiting: official visit/transfer primer

Now that summer is approaching with a full head of steam, masks are out (if you’re vaccinated), and Badgers football recruiting visits are BACK!

This is always an exciting time of the year, as Wisconsin has traditionally done well with recruits they’ve gotten on campus for official visits. As it turns out, a beautiful June weekend in Madison can do wonders.

As we head towards Official Visit SZN, in case you don’t follow recruiting very closely, or if you’ve missed some of the recruiting coverage here at B5Q or other places, here’s a list of guys who could join the Badgers football program in the (fairly) near future:

Recruits

Isaac Hamm, DL, Sun Prairie - Hamm is one of the five 4-star or higher ranked recruits in the state in this senior class, and is maybe the most likely prospect at the moment to join the Badgers 2022 recruiting class. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Hamm is likely going to be a down-defensive lineman for the Badgers in their 3-4 base defense. Obviously, being in Sun Prairie, his close proximity to Wisconsin makes this an easy projection.
Official Visit Date: June 4th

Carson Hinzman, OG, St. Croix Central High School (Hammond) - Hinzman has started for the small-school power since he was a freshman. Now the 6-foot-4 and 280 pound guard is among the highest rated offensive linemen in the country. One of three big time offensive linemen in the state as of now, Hinzman won’t be the only one listed in this article.
Official Visit Date: June 4th

Joe Brunner, OT, Whitefish Bay - Brunner is currently a top-55 recruit nationally by 247 Sports, and is the highest profile of the big time in-state recruits. Brunner looks to be the next highly touted offensive tackle headed to join the cardinal and white. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, Brunner has the profile you look for, and he should be a big addition to the class in the early stages.
Official Visit Date: June 4th

Micah Riley-Ducker, TE, Bellevue, Neb. - Riley, who hails from the same high school as 2021 Wisconsin basketball commit Chucky Hepburn, is the highest profile tight end target the Badgers have been pursuing in this recruiting class. Not the traditional in-line dominator in the blocking department, Riley is more in the Jake Ferguson mold, a guy who will get on the field early due to his receiving prowess, while the blocking prowess is developed.
Official Visit Date: June 17th

Tommy McIntosh, WR, Dewitt, Mich. - McIntosh is an under the radar target right now, mostly receiving attention from Wisconsin and Iowa. Standing at 6-foot-5, McIntosh would give the Badgers a size profile they currently don’t have on the roster at the wide receiver position. He’ll be on campus the same date as Riley-Ducker, so the Badgers’ receiving options could get bigger in a hurry.
Official Visit Date: June 17th

Curtis Neal, DL, Cornelius, N.C. (Hough HS) - Neal has been on the Badgers’ radar for a couple of years at this point, given their familiarity with his former teammates WR Devin Chandler and DL Gio Paez (plus Wake Forest WR Nolan Groulx was also committed to Wisconsin at one point). The 6-foot-1 and 290 pound lineman profiles as a Garrett Rand type of player in the Badger front, or the strong-side defensive “end”. Neal tore his ACL at the end of their spring season in the NC state semifinals, so it’ll be interesting to see how his interest from other schools, including Ohio State, progresses.
Official Visit Date: June 4th

Transfers

Chez Mellusi, RB, Clemson - Mellusi is a former 4-star recruit who signed with the Clemson Tigers out of high school, but being behind recent first round pick Travis Etienne, hasn’t received the volume of carries he likely anticipated when coming out of high school.

With only Jalen Berger returning as an experienced ball carrier with the Badgers, Mellusi would provide Wisconsin with some valued experience as well as another explosive runner for Graham Mertz to hand the ball off to.

Mellusi ran for 427 yards on 71 carries, good for 6.0 yards per carry and six touchdowns during his time at Clemson. He also had five receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown this past season for the Tigers.
Official Visit Date: June 1st