Dareian Watkins Commits to Wisconsin: Badgers Land Versatile 4-Star

Although the Wisconsin Badgers got upset by the Penn State Nittany Lions, Saturday wasn't all bad in Madison.

Benjamin Worgull of BadgerNation, Scout's Wisconsin recruiting website, reports that Dareian Watkins, a 4-star recruit from Galion, Ohio, has committed to play his college ball at Wisconsin:

Watkins is listed as a dual-threat quarterback as well as a wide receiver by 247Sports. He also received offers from Indiana, Iowa, Louisville, Michigan State and Penn State as well as plenty of other schools.

It's been a crazy month for Watkins, who initially committed to play for the Northwestern Wildcats but, according to 247Sports, decommitted from there on Nov. 20. He then took an official visit to Wisconsin on Saturday and signed to play for the Badgers.

According to Nick Medline of PurpleWildcats.com, disciplinary problems on Watkins' end were part of the reason that Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald told the recruit that there wouldn't be a scholarship for him next year.

Wisconsin is in desperate need of a playmaker on offense like Watkins, who will likely play receiver at the college level. The run-heavy Badgers rank just 94th in passing yards per game (191.5), according to ESPN. The team's top wide receiver this season, Jared Abbrederis, is a senior, so his production will need to be replaced.

The Badgers have the 34th-best recruiting class of 2014, according to ESPN. But that's sure to rise with the addition of Watkins to the class.