Three-star defensive lineman Ashton Sanders reopens recruitment

Much of the attention for Wisconsin football is on the 2023 season as Fall camp is now well underway. However, recruiting is a 24/7 task and the Badgers remain incredibly active in trying to improve their 2023 class which currently ranks 50th in the country and 12th in the Big Ten, according to 247 sports.

Wisconsin has lost out on some big targets of late, one being defensive lineman Ashton Sanders. Sanders, a 3-star defensive tackle from Los Angeles, was a top-of-the-board prospect for Wisconsin. This past June Sanders took an official visit to Madison, and shortly after that, he narrowed his college decision down to the California Golden Bears and Wisconsin. In late June, Sanders committed to Cal over Wisconsin. However, this morning Sanders announced that he would be de-committing from Cal and reopening his recruitment.

With his de-commitment Wisconsin is now once again very likely back in the fold for Sanders after being in his top two previously. Sanders could end up in Madison, or he could end up back at Cal, or elsewhere. Reopening a commitment doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does ensure that the player has the time and ability to make the right decision for themselves, which is all any fan base should want.

Sanders would be a huge get for Wisconsin, literally and figuratively. Sanders is literally, large, standing at 6’3” and weighing in at 295 pounds which is great size for a high school senior. Figuratively, Sanders is a 3-star player and would be a top-five player in UW’s class as it stands right now, according to 247 rankings. If Sanders were to commit to Wisconsin he would be the third defensive lineman taken in the class, joining Jamel Howard (Chicago, IL) and Roderick Pierce (Oak Lawn, IL).