Wisconsin football 2023 recruiting: June status report (offense)
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After the Wisconsin Badgers added five commitments in May and six more in the month of June so far, it is time to revisit where the football team is at in the 2023 recruiting class.
With June official visits complete, let's break down where Wisconsin stands at each offensive position in the 2023 class and which prospects could still be in play for the Badgers this summer.
Quarterback
Current commits: None
Top targets:
The breakdown: Very little has changed in terms of quarterback recruiting. South Dakota three-star, Lincoln Kienholz, is still the No. 1 target at the position group, and the Badgers are very much in the thick of things for him.
Kienholz took an official visit to Madison during the first weekend of June and proceeded to visit his other three finalists of North Dakota State, Washington, and Wyoming as well.
Kienholz's recruitment is as close to a must-win for the Badgers as there is in the 2023 class because he is the only viable target at this time. Wisconsin is arguably the top opportunity in terms of program prestige, but it is simply a waiting game at this point to see where Kienholz chooses.
I would expect a decision in the upcoming weeks.
Running back
Current commits:
Top targets: Keyes and White represent the top targets for the Badgers.
The breakdown: Running backs coach Al Johnson quickly wrapped up running back recruiting this year, landing two of his top targets before the official visit window.
Jaquez Keyes and Nate White complement one another well stylistically and should help restock the running back room when they join the team in 2023.
Keyes added several offers immediately after his commitment and recently participated in a team camp at Ohio State, but the Badgers do not appear to be in danger of losing the four-star tailback out of Ohio at this time.
Both commits were on campus together for official visits earlier this month.
Wide receiver
Current commits:
Top targets:
- Tre Spivey
- Justin Marshall
The breakdown: Wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted added two commitments in June, with Trech Kekahuna and Collin Dixon each choosing the Badgers following official visits.
A 5-foot-11 speedster out of Hawaii, Kekahuna, picked up an offer from Wisconsin after a strong performance at a summer camp and quickly rose on the Badgers recruiting board. On the other hand, Dixon had an offer dating back to the spring and is a bigger receiver at 6-foot-2 with a multi-sport background out of Ohio.
After loading up at the wide receiver the past two recruiting cycles, my guess is that the Badgers are full at the position. Arizona wide receiver Tre Spivey and Indiana pass-catcher Justin Marshall are two possibilities if spots open up in the fall.
Spivey is leaning towards staying in the state of Arizona, while Marshall's recruitment has been very quiet recently.
Tight end
Current commits: None
Top targets:
The breakdown: Tight end recruiting is a bit of a mystery right now. Saint Louis tight end Zach Ortwerth took an official visit to Madison earlier in the month, but he also took trips to Iowa, Minnesota, and Pitt. Most of the 247 Sports crystal ball activity for Ortwerth points toward Iowa lately, which could reset the entire tight end board entering July.
Tight ends Chico Holt (Northwestern) and Jackson Carver (Miami) each made commitments during June, leaving the Badgers with Ortwerth as the only uncommitted player with an offer for now.
Given the swath of injuries that Wisconsin has seen at the position, I would imagine that the Badgers will still look to bring in a scholarship tight end, but it is hard to know where the staff might look next.
In-state tight end Nollen Tabaska and Illinois athlete Mack O'Halloran each camped with the Badgers earlier in the month and could be preferred walk-on candidates.
Offensive line
Current commits:
Top targets:
The breakdown: Offensive line coach Bob Bostad and the Badgers landed a crucial commitment from James Durand back on May 6. The Arizona native could play guard or tackle at the next level, providing the staff some flexibility with their offensive line class.
The top remaining options are Joe Crocker and Christopher Terek, both of whom were on campus the first weekend of June for official visits. Of the two, Wisconsin seems to be in a better place for Crocker, who is also considering Michigan State and Mississippi State. A very large and athletic tackle prospect, Crocker would be a significant get if the Badgers can close out his recruitment in the coming month or so.
According to Sean Bock, Christopher Terek is close to making a final decision with Iowa and Wisconsin the two most likely destinations. Terek also took official visits to Illinois and Michigan, but Iowa has had the momentum in his recruitment for a while. With the Hawkeyes close to potentially landing several other highly-rated offensive line targets, it will be interesting to see if that plays a role in his decision.
Related links:
- Nose tackle Jamel Howard commits to Wisconsin
- Four-star cornerback Jace Arnold commits to UW
- Wisconsin lands Hawaii wide receiver Trech Kekahuna
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