MADISON – Wednesday, Dec. 3, might as well be Christmas for the Wisconsin football program.
The day marks the start of the early signing period, the first opportunity the Badgers can finalize the verbal commitments they’ve received for the 2026 recruiting class. Fourteen players either made their commitments official by signing the necessary paperwork Wednesday or are expected to do so to play for the Badgers next season.
The players in the class come from nine states, with Tennessee leading the way with three players. Wisconsin, California and Georgia have two each, and the rest hail from Massachusetts, Indiana, Florida, Ohio and Washington.
The group includes three defensive linemen, two inside linebackers, two defensive backs, two running backs, two receivers and one quarterback, offensive lineman and tight end.
If you believe the experts’ rankings, the class falls slightly short of what Luke Fickell and his staff signed for 2024 and last season.
The 2024 class was ranked 23rd by 247sports and 22nd by Rivals. Last season’s 2025 class was ranked 27th by 247sports and 27th by Rivals.
Here is what those websites think of the group UW has added this year. Note that the rankings are fluid. This is where things stood at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 3.
Rivals ranks Wisconsin 47th nationally, 13th in the Big Ten
When it comes to the Big Ten, the Badgers ranked ahead of (in order) UCLA, Northwestern, Purdue, Nebraska and Penn State. USC, Oregon and Ohio State hold the top three spots.
Prior to this year, Rivals’ lowest ranking for a Badgers recruiting class in the last 10 years was No. 46 in 2023. That was Fickell’s first class at Wisconsin and a good portion of it came together in less than three weeks after he was hired.
The jewels of the 2026 class, according to Rivals’ position rankings, bode well for the offense in the future.
Amari Latimer is the 19th-ranked running back, and quarterback Ryan Hopkins is listed as the 36th-best at his position. Offensive lineman Brady Bekkenhuis, a former Boston College recruit, is the 40th-ranked interior lineman. Zion Legree, who signed as a receiver, is considered the 31st-best athlete.
247sports ranks Wisconsin’s class 67th overall, 16th in the B1G
247 ranks UW’s class ahead of only Nebraska and Penn State, which lost a lot of recruits due to the uncertainty of its head coaching situation. The No. 67 ranking is the site’s lowest for Wisconsin in the past 10 years. The lowest ranking before this year during that stretch was 59th in 2023.
Despite the low rank, UW signed a handful of players who are highly regarded by the site.
Latimer is at the top of the list. He ranks 20th nationally at running back. UW’s second running back in the class, Qwantavius Wiggins, sits at No. 27. Hopkins sits at No. 4 among quarterbacks. Jack Sievers is No. 41 at tight end.
Taylor Schaefer, who is from Brussels, Wis., and played at Southern Door High School, is listed as the No. 2 inside linebacker among junior college recruits.
