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2026 linebacker commit Aden Reeder can do it all as 'Swiss Army Knife' for Wisconsin Badgers defense

The Badgers plan to play reader at inside linebacker, but he has the speed to rush the passer off the edge, too
Jake Kocorowski|
Wisconsin locked in a verbal commitment from versatile 2026 linebacker Aden Reeder from Cincinnati St. Xavier.
Wisconsin locked in a verbal commitment from versatile 2026 linebacker Aden Reeder from Cincinnati St. Xavier. | Courtesy of LaDasha Reeder

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Aden Reeder realized a week ago that he wanted to commit to the Wisconsin Badgers. An expected visit from inside linebackers coach Tuf Borland luckily allowed Reeder to give the good news relatively quickly.

Wisconsin's coaches have been busy on the recruiting trail since spring practices ended late last month. Borland made sure to check in on Reeder.

"At the end of our visit, I kind of let him know," Reeder said. "I'm coming. I'm a Badger."

The Cincinnati St. Xavier standout announced his commitment to coach Luke Fickell and Wisconsin on Monday, becoming the seventh 2026 recruit to publicly declare their intention to play for the Badgers.

The program beat out several Power Four schools, as Reeder had announced offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Virginia, Virginia Tech and West Virginia since January alone.

"Coach Fick has coached multiple people that I kind of built bonds with and kind of trusting them, and I just loved, as a kid, I always watched the Badgers," Reeder said. "Always looked up to the Badgers, and kind of like a dream come true. So definitely the connections and the opportunity I can see there."

Reeder announced Feb. 5 an offer from the Badgers, and the relationship between the two sides grew. He's visited twice, which included Wisconsin's junior day event in March and an April practice.

The Badgers staff projects him to play one of the inside linebacker positions. His size and frame (6-foot-3 and 205 pounds) are similar to current Badgers backers Christian Alliegro (6-foot-4, 245 pounds), Thomas Heiberger (6-foot-4, 233 pounds), Landon Gauthier (6-foot-3, 235) and incoming four-star freshman Mason Posa (listed at 6-foot-3 on Hudl).

"They want me to be all-around piece, kind of what I do in high school," Reeder said. "A little bit everywhere: A little bit in coverage, a little bit of a blitzing linebacker, a little bit of off the edge action. All that. So just be kind of a Swiss Army knife in the linebacker room."

Reeder's junior Hudl film shows him working off the edge, but he also played off the line of scrimmage and could accelerate downhill into the backfield. He recorded 72 tackles, 14½ tackles for loss and three sacks in 2024, according to MaxPreps.

"As a linebacker, I'll say fast," Reeder said in describing himself. "One thing I also like to say is quick off the line. I try to make decisions fast, and I try to make them concisely. Try not to doublethink on my intentions."

Reeder, a three-star recruit, will return to Madison for an official visit for June 5-8 and expects to enroll in the summer of 2026. Minnesota and Iowa were also in line for official visits starting at the end of this month, but Reeder said he's "most likely canceling all those as of right now."

"Just going to go to the one to Wisconsin on June 5-8," he said.

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Jake Kocorowski
JAKE KOCOROWSKI

Jake Kocorowski has covered the Wisconsin football program since the 2013 season for a few outlets, most recently at the Wisconsin State Journal/BadgerExtra. He wrote, directed and edited BadgerExtra’s “Rags to Roses” series about the 1993 Wisconsin football team that won second place in the 2023 APSE Division C Project category.

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