Wisconsin Football Recruiting: Which In-State Commitment Will Help the Most?

The Wisconsin Badgers currently hold seven verbal commitments from high school recruits from the state of Wisconsin, and there are a few players on that list that could develop into real contributors for their home state school.

Wisconsin uses states like Florida, Texas, and Ohio as consistent recruiting bases, but they also do a good job keeping their state’s few quality recruits at home.

The state may not be one of the country’s true havens for high school football, but the school has had a balanced reliance on home gown kids to add depth to each recruiting class. Here are the recruiting numbers for Wisconsin over the last five years.

2010: Eight Wisconsin Signees
2009: Five Wisconsin Signess
2008: Seven Wisconsin Signees
2007: Five Wisconsin Signees
2006: Six Wisconsin Signees

The most famous of all those commitments is current junior running back John Clay. The 6‘1", 250 lb. Clay hails from Racine, Wisconsin and played for Park High School, where he was a top rated recruit and Prep All-American. Clay spurned outside scholarship offers from the likes of Nebraska and Ohio State to stay in Wisconsin. It has paid off for the Badgers so far—Clay has rushed for 2,400 yards in just two seasons of play.

Current players such as Lance Kendricks (Milwaukee), Gabe Carimi (Monona Grove), Josh Oglesby (Milwaukee), and Nick Toon (Madison) have also been Wisconsin finds.

The current list of in state commitments for the 2011 recruiting class runs seven deep and includes players who all possess intriguing potential.

The headliner of the group is linebacker Jake Keefer who plays for Baldwin High School in Baldwin, Wisconsin. The 6‘4", 210 pound Keefer is the top prospect in the state and projects to the outside linebacker spot in college. He has good speed and athleticism for his size and he’s one of the most solid tacklers you’ll find in the country.

Jake also holds offers from a few other Big Ten schools such as Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota.

Two other Wisconsin linebackers that have pledged their allegiance to the Badgers are Jordan Frederick out of Memorial High School in Madison and Derek Landisch out of Arrowhead High School in Hartland.Both are the solid workmanlike gems Wisconsin is adept at finding.  

The class also includes commitments from three tight ends—Eric Steffes out of St. Mary’s Springs High School, Sam Arneson out of Merrill High School, and Austin Maly out of Waunakee High School.

Rounding out the group is wide receiver Frederick Willis, an intriguing track speedster out of Brookfield Academy. Willis could be the real find of the group. The only other FBS offer he currently has is from Army. But with his speed, the Badgers could find themselves trying to fend off other schools for his services over the course of the next few months.