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Wisconsin Badgers hosting top targets, in-state prospects for Junior Day

Wisconsin Badgers expected to welcome a number of top 2027 recruiting targets from across the state and the Midwest.
Benjamin Worgull|
Green Bay Notre Dame's Kingston Allen (7) is tackled by River Falls High School's Nolan Hoepfl (5) during a WIAA Division 2 state semifinal on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Stiehm Stadium in Schofield, Wis. Notre Dame won the game, 42-6, to advance to the WIAA Division 2 state championship game on Nov. 21.
Green Bay Notre Dame's Kingston Allen (7) is tackled by River Falls High School's Nolan Hoepfl (5) during a WIAA Division 2 state semifinal on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Stiehm Stadium in Schofield, Wis. Notre Dame won the game, 42-6, to advance to the WIAA Division 2 state championship game on Nov. 21. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis. - With the 2026 recruiting class fully signed in December and adding over 30 college prospects from the January transfer portal, the University of Wisconsin is now fully shifting its focus to the 2027 recruiting class.

That makes hosting two junior days important dates on the recruiting calendar, the first of which takes place today amidst frigid temperatures.

Wisconsin already got its weekend started off strong in landing a verbal commitment from 2027 safety Dustin Roach (Waukesha Catholic Memorial). He joins early in-state commits Ethan McIntosh (offensive lineman from Verona) and Korz Loken (tight end from Iola-Scandinavia), both of whom are expected on campus today.

While a massive weather system throughout the country could affect who is in attendance, here's a look at some prospects who are scheduled to check out the program.

Kingston Allen

The in-state running back/safety from Green Bay Notre Dame was offered in November by Wisconsin, a school he's labeled his dream school in interviews. Northwestern has also offered him.

The 6-1, 185-pound Allen ran for 3,436 yards and averaged 9.6 yards per carry on his 357 carries last season. His 57 rushing touchdowns set a new WIAA single-season record. He scored seven times and ran for 509 yards on 45 carries in the second round of the division 2 state playoffs.

Blake Betton and Nehemiah Ombati

Teammates on the defensive side of the ball at Shakopee (MN) High, Betton and Ombati are both highly rated and highly sought after by college coaches.

Projected as a linebacker, Betton had 88 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, and four pass breakups from the strong safety position last season. At 6-3 and 205 pounds, Betton is a three-star prospect and holds 15 power-conference offers, including being aggressively recruited by assistant linebacker coach Tuf Borland.

The 6-2, 275-pound Ombati is a four-star defensive line prospect by the 247sports composite with early offers from Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, who offered him back in October. Defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow visited Ombati and his family earlier in the week

Lawrence Carr

A 5-11, 170-pound wide Receiver from Chicago, Carr is starting to get noticed. He picked up offers from Arizona State and Minnesota last month and was offered by Purdue on Thursday. In a game last season, Carr had three catches for 130 yards.

David Hill

A 6-2, 315-pound defensive tackle, Hill was offered last summer by Wisconsin following his performance in a high school summer camp. He was coached at the camp by defensive line coach EJ Whitlow, who continued to recruit and build a relationship with him.

Hill has over a dozen offers that include Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt. He took a visit to Illinois last weekend.

Hunter and Reece Mallinger

The three-star offensive linemen from Sussex (Wis.) Hamilton already received a visit from new offensive line coach Eric Mateos, so there is interest there. Reece has 12 offers that include power-conference offers from Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, and UCF. Hunter has 11 but received one from the Badgers last summer. They share offers from Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, and UCF.

Hunter was first-team all-state, all-region, and all-conference, while Reece was first-team all-region and all-conference.

Both listed at 6-5, the twins are projected as interior linemen at the college level and have a skill base to be able to pull, get to the second level in run blocking, and show strong hands in pass blocking.

Tre Oiler

A 6-6 tight end from Hartland (Wis.) Arrowhead, Oiler received his first offer from Wisconsin but has picked up several other power-conference offers with Florida, Michigan State, SMU, Virginia Tech, and others.

Cole Reiter

A 6-7, 295-pound offensive lineman from Germantown, Reiter is rated an early four-star recruit and the state's No.2 prospect according to the 247sports composite. Reiter has Big Ten offers from Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Penn State, as well as Kansas and UCF. Kansas and Wisconsin are the perceived favorites, but Indiana's success and the hiring of Matt Campbell at Penn State will likely play a factor, as well.

Rated No.167 overall prospect in the 2027 class, Reiter will be deciding before the end of March and is visiting State College next weekend.

His importance as a recruit for Wisconsin was evident when Luke Fickell traveled to his basketball game on Thursday.

Tommy Riordan

A 6-4 edge rusher from Hinsdale, Illinois, Riordan was offered by the Badgers during a high school summer camp last June and visited for UW's home game against Iowa. Outside linebacker coach Matt Mitchell visited Riordan recently, as the Badgers are always looking for athletic, long, and strong edge rushers.

Riordan's older brother is Iowa offensive line signee Gene Riordan in the 2026 class. The Hawkeyes have offered Tommy, as well as Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, and others.

Eli Thornton

Thornton is still searching for his first power-conference offer, but Whitlow has been eyeing the 6-3, 305-pound defensive lineman from Arkansas over the winter. He had 24 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, four quarterback sacks, and 25 QB pressures last season. Illinois, Kansas State, Memphis, and others are showing interest.

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Benjamin Worgull
BENJAMIN WORGULL

Benjamin Worgull has covered Wisconsin men's basketball since 2004, having previously written for Rivals, USA Today, 247sports, Fox Sports, the Associated Press, the Janesville Gazette, and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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