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2026 defensive line commit says Wisconsin Badgers 'checked all my boxes' on official visit

2026 defensive line recruit Arthur Scott celebrated his birthday on his official visit with the Wisconsin Badgers and committed to Luke Fickell's program the next day.
Jake Kocorowski|
Streetsboro and Field line up for the first play of the game Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, at Field High School.
Streetsboro and Field line up for the first play of the game Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, at Field High School. | Matthew Brown / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

Arthur Scott celebrated a couple of special events this weekend in Madison.

The three-star recruit from Streetsboro, Ohio, was on his official visit to the Wisconsin Badgers with his parents. But it was also his birthday Friday, which included dinner at coach Luke Fickell's house.

"His wife, she gave me a hug, told me happy birthday," Scott said. "I think everybody there sang me "Happy Birthday,' too, so it was great."

He told the staff Saturday that he wanted to commit to Wisconsin, and one day later, became the eighth recruit to declare his decision to join its 2026 class.

Scott was the first of three players to announce his plans to join the Badgers' program on Sunday, which included fellow defensive lineman Djidjou Bah.

Wisconsin beat out other Big Ten schools such as Rutgers and Michigan State.

"Because Wisconsin, it really felt like it fit my values and things that I want to do in life with football or outside of football," Scott said of his decision to commit. "It fit what my family wanted for me."

"It's a really a great place to be. I feel like I would never be bored there."

How close the Badgers players were with each other left a mark on Scott, calling it "a family feel." He realized Saturday that he wanted to commit during his second position meeting with Whitlow, Wisconsin's defensive line coach.

"Just the things that he was talking about and how much I could tell he was excited about me," Scott said. "They checked all my boxes. I knew that before I got there for the [official visit]. So it was like, 'What am I waiting on,' you know?"

Excitement ensued as Whitlow rushed over and hugged Scott, with Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel hearing the news right after.

Scott said his recruiting process isn't shut down, but his previously announced official visits to Rutgers, Michigan State and Cincinnati are now called off. He also plans to enroll early.

Currently listed at 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds on Hudl, Scott could line up at multiple spots on Wisconsin's defensive line under Whitlow.

"He told me he wants to use me as a three (technique) or nose (tackle), interior defensive lineman, but he doesn't really want to just say learn these positions," Scott said. "Because he doesn't want to limit my ability, limit my development."

"So he said, as I get more into the program, he finds out what really kind of player I am. That's the positions that he'll put me in the most."

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Jake Kocorowski
JAKE KOCOROWSKI

Jake Kocorowski has covered the Wisconsin football program since the 2013 season for a few outlets, most recently at the Wisconsin State Journal/BadgerExtra. He wrote, directed and edited BadgerExtra’s “Rags to Roses” series about the 1993 Wisconsin football team that won second place in the 2023 APSE Division C Project category.

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