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Badgers battling Indiana, Notre Dame for Wisconsin's No. 1 in-state recruit for 2027

The Wisconsin Badgers push for the top in-state recruit is being challenged by some of the powerhouse programs across the midwest, with a commitment decision coming soon.
Lorin Cox|
Fans cheer during the Indiana versus Wisconsin football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025.
Fans cheer during the Indiana versus Wisconsin football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. | RIch Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

Luke Fickell is recruiting more in-state football players in the class of 2027, but the Badgers' pursuit of the top player in Wisconsin is facing some big name challengers.

Four-star tight end Korz Loken from Iola-Scandinavia High School is set to make his commitment decision on January 10.

The Badgers are considered the favorites, but he told Rivals that he's also considering Indiana, Notre Dame and Kansas among his top schools.

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Loken is rated as a Top 5 tight end in the country by 247Sports, and ESPN also has him as a Top 200 player in the 2027 class.

He suffered an arm injury that limited him this season, but the 6-foot-5 weapon could boost his recruiting profile even higher with a strong senior season next fall.

The Badgers are graduating two senior tight ends, Lance Mason and Jackson Acker, though Mason is part of a lawsuit against the NCAA that is seeking another year of eligibility.

Wisconsin signed only one tight end in the 2026 recruiting class, three-star Jack Sievers from Everett, Washington.

Related: Athletic tight end Jack Sievers signs with the Wisconsin Badgers

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' scheme utilizes tight ends plenty, and Loken could earn playing time quickly with the type of talent he provides.

The Badgers have the in-state edge over the other schools pursuing him, but Indiana and Notre Dame can point to the succes they had on the field this season to make strong pushes for his services.

It'll be the first key measurement of Fickell's recruiting strength in the 2027 class, and Loken has the potential to jumpstart the recruiting push to bring in other top prospects for the future.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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