Wisconsin Football: Recruiting updates from week one

While much of the attention was on the game itself this past weekend as the Badgers knocked off Illinois State in their home opener, plenty of attention was also paid to the recruiting circuit as the Badgers hosted multiple players in Camp Randall this past weekend.

If you follow recruiting closely you know Wisconsin has been busy hitting the road on the 2023 class. The class currently stands at 13 commits and ranks 53rd in the country according to 247. They’ve landed players at nearly every position, but the one they haven’t is at quarterback. Generally, the Badgers like to take a player in every class and they have yet to hit on one for their 2023 group.

That could change with quarterback Ryan Browne out of New Berlin, New York. Browne is a 3-star prospect according to 247, and the number 11 player in the state of New York. He has yet to receive an offer from the Badgers, but he was on campus this past weekend to get a look at the game day experience.

Wisconsin has not offered a scholarship to Browne yet, but I do think it's likely the Badgers offer Browne in the future as his recruitment continues to rise. He currently holds offers from Toledo, Kent State, and Rhode Island.

While much of the focus is still on the class of 2023, the class of 2024 is also now open to talk with college coaches which means that the cycle should heat up incredibly fast over the course of the next few months.

One of the top players in that 2024 class is 4-star tailback, Corey Smith, out of Catholic Memorial High School. Smith is the number two ranked player in the state behind his teammate Donovan Harbour, and likely one of the top players on Wisconsin’s board.

Smith was on campus this past weekend for an unofficial visit, which is great to see as his recruitment will likely be ultra-competitive. Smith currently holds a plethora of offers from the likes of Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and more to go along with Wisconsin’s offer.

In addition to Smith, Wisconsin also hosted some other notable players this past weekend from the 2024 class:

• 2024 Tight End Carter Nelson (Ainsworth, Nebraska)
• 2024 linebacker Sam Pilof (Middleton, Wisconsin)
• 2024 Tight end Aidan Steinfeldt (Bloomington, Indiana)
• 2024 running back Titus Cram (Bondurant, Iowa)

Carter Nelson is one of the three tight ends to already have received offers in the 2024 class from Wisconsin, and his recruitment should be competitive among a host of midwest schools in Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, Kansas State, and Nebraska. Aidan Steinfeldt is another player that was on campus, but he has not received an offer from Wisconsin just yet, but one does seem likely.

Linebacker Sam Pilof is another important name to watch as Pilof is the number three rated prospect in the state of Wisconsin, just behind Harbour and Smith, respectively. His physical play and being right in Wisconsin’s backyard is not something the Badgers will want to miss out on in this class. Titus Cram is another interesting prospect at running back to go along with Smith. Cram is likely a top-of-the-board player for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and with two backs in the 2023 class, it’s hard to see Wisconsin landing both players in 2024. Regardless, it's a very interesting position to keep an eye on for Wisconsin.