Badgers Continue In-State Recruiting Dominance, Flip Iowa State LB Commit

After Iowa State's basketball program waltzed into Wisconsin and nabbed the No. 2 player in the state and consensus top-45 overall player in the nation Donovan Davis, the Badgers got some get-back via their football team.

Head coach Luke Fickell, inside linebackers coach Tuf Borland and company flipped former Cyclones commit Keaton Wollan on Wednesday evening, adding commit No. 13 to their 2027 recruiting class.

Staying Home! 🦡 #committed #onwisconsin @TufBorland @CoachMikeTress @BadgerFootball pic.twitter.com/h1rykjl25T
— Keaton Wollan (@keaton22wollan) May 14, 2026

Wollan, who hails from Amery, Wisconsin is also the ninth in-state player to pledge to the Badgers in the 2027 cycle. He was committed to Iowa State for less than a month before he flipped to his home state school.

Wollan is the first add for Borland in this cycle and his first commit as the inside linebackers coach in Madison — this is a big moment for the young position coach, who already oversees what's arguably one of the best inside linebacker rooms in the country.

Wollan, a consensus three-star prospect, is the No. 11 or No. 12 player in the state of Wisconsin, depending on if you ask On3/Rivals or 247Sports, respectively. He also held offers from Texas Tech, Eastern Michigan and North Dakota State.

The Badgers had been aggressive early in this cycle at inside linebacker, targeting some highly regarded national players including Tate Wallace, Quinton Cypher and others. But with the former committing to Minnesota, the latter pledging to Ohio State and a whole host of other elite prospects at the position spurning Wisconsin, the Badgers had to pivot to something of a plan B.

It was great getting to a @BadgerFootball spring practice and meeting the staff!@TufBorland @JackChastain25 pic.twitter.com/Cn9ZaQxxoI
— Keaton Wollan (@keaton22wollan) April 16, 2026

Wollan didn't hold an offer from the Badgers until very recently — he was extended a scholarship after he pledged to Iowa State. But don't discount the linebacker just because he wasn't Wisconsin's top choice; Wollan looks to have plenty of game in his own right.

Quick scouting report

Pop on the tape, and you see a Mike linebacker who diagnoses plays and explodes to the football. Wollan is an extremely sure tackler, and his form and technique in that department are extremely sound as well. Once he got his hands on a ball-carrier, that was that,

Wollan does more than pass the eye-test: his numbers back up the natural feel and instincts you see on tape. As a junior, the linebacker racked up 125 tackles, nine TFLs, 1.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three interceptions.

With Wollan on board, the Badgers now have nine of the top 12 players in the state of Wisconsin committed in the 2027 class.

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