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Wisconsin Badgers competing with Big Ten rivals as Top 3 schools for 2026 DL recruit

The Wisconsin football program has recruited the state of Indiana well for high school talent in the last two recruiting cycles, and they're among the top schools for a 2026 defensive lineman.
Jake Kocorowski|
Wisconsin defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow gives instructions to his group during spring practice outside Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday April 13, 2024.
Wisconsin defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow gives instructions to his group during spring practice outside Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday April 13, 2024. | Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers have recruited the state of Indiana well for high school talent in the last two recruiting cycles, and they're among the top schools for a 2026 defensive lineman.

Kobe Cherry, who plays for Greenwood Center Grove, announced Friday his final three schools. Wisconsin made the cut alongside Indiana and Purdue.

Cherry, listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds on Hudl, is a three-star recruit by three outlets who also plays baseball. He visited Wisconsin in early March during one of the program's junior day events.

He's announced other Power Four offers from Louisville, Minnesota and Washington.

Cherry is among several targets for Wisconsin's 2026 class that has yet to secure a verbal commitment from a defensive lineman. The Badgers have missed on the following recruits:King Liggins (Chicago Brother Rice) to Illinois, Jake Johnson (Prosper, Texas) to Southern Cal,Blake Smythe (Franklin, Indiana) to Indiana, Yahya Gaad (Medina South Gibson, Tennessee) to UCLA, and Jamir Perez (Cleveland Glenville) to Florida.

Three-star recruits Djidjou Bah (Germantown, Tennessee) and Arthur Scott (Streetsboro, Illinois) are slated to take official visits to Wisconsin the weekend of May 30-June 1.Jermaine Polk (Toledo St. Francis de Sales) will be in Madison from June 5-8. 

Wisconsin's recruited the state of Indiana well in the 2025 and 2026 classes. The Badgers signed wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. (Zionsville) and tight end Nizyi Davis (Indianapolis Lawrence Central) in December during the 2025 signing period.

Three of the program's seven 2026 commits – offensive lineman Benjamin Novak (Merrillville Andrean), wide receiver Tayshon Bardo (Mishawaka Penn) and cornerback Carson Eloms (Fishers) – come from the Hoosier State.

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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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