Wisconsin football gets verbal commitment from the state's top-ranked recruit

Germantown offensive tackle Cole Reiter commits to Wisconsin from over a dozen power-conference offers.

Germantown lineman Cole Reiter, left, protects his quarterback during the game against Sussex Hamilton, Sept. 19, 2025, in Germantown, Wisconsin. Hamilton won the game, 23-21. | Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

MADISON, Wis. - Luke Fickell has evidently got the message about the importance of recruiting and building his program with prospects from the state of Wisconsin.

After landing only one in-state prospect in the 2026 class, Wisconsin has begun filling out its 2027 class with five of the state's top football prospects, which includes landing one its biggest recruits in Germantown High four-star offensive tackle Cole Reiter on Thursday.

Turning down scholarship offers from Auburn, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, and many other power-four schools, the four-star Reiter is now the highest-ranked commitment in UW’s 2027 five-member recruiting class.

Home!🏠 @BadgerFootball pic.twitter.com/b3lF4rZPqr

— Cole Reiter (@ColeReiter12) March 26, 2026

247sports ranks Reiter as the No. 155 prospect in the nation, the No. 19 tackle in the country and No. 3 in-state recruit in this class, behind only four-star running back Kingston Allen and four-star tight end Korz Loken, the latter having previously committed to Wisconsin.

Rivals lists Reiter as the No.156 overall prospect, the No.12 offensive tackle, and the top in-state prospect.

Reiter has been a target of the Wisconsin staff for several years and has made close to 20 visits to campus during his courtship with the Badgers, which began when he was offered by the Badgers at high school summer camp in June 2024. The scholarship was Reiter's first power-four offer.

He was a high-valued target by offensive line coach A.J. Blazek and his interest in the staff didn't wane following the hiring of new OL coach Eric Mateos. He was on campus last weekend for Wisconsin's second spring practice.

"I've been going to Wisconsin since my freshman year when I got the offer," Reiter told 247sports. "I just feel like, visiting all these schools, I never got the right feeling. I never got the feeling I got when I went to Madison and I just think, you know, when I kept going on all these visits, I was never getting enough like I got from Wisconsin. And then after my last visit there, I just, you know, I figured I'd just come home."

Wisconsin's 2027 class includes Reiter and Loken (Iola), offensive tackle Ethan McIntosh (Verona), edge rusher Isaac Miller (Waukesha), and safety Dustin Roach (Waukesha).