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Wisconsin Badgers secure commitment from former UCLA recruit despite horrendous loss to Iowa

Lorin Cox

Wisconsin football outside linebackers/special teams coach Matt Mitchell observes practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium in Platteville, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin football outside linebackers/special teams coach Matt Mitchell observes practice Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium in Platteville, Wisconsin. / Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Wisconsin Badgers horrendous loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday didn't stop them from pulling off a recruiting win in the same weekend.

Despite not scoring in the 37-0 loss, they scored off the field with the commitment of 2026 edge rusher Yahya Gaad from Medina, Tennessee, who told Rivals his decision Sunday.

Gaad had previously committed to UCLA but de-committed after the school fired head coach DeShaun Foster.

That raises obvious questions about what might happen if Wisconsin makes a coaching change down the line.

Related: Who would be Wisconsin Badgers interim head coach if Luke Fickell is fired in-season?

Gaad is rated as a Top 75 edge rusher in the country by major recruiting outlets, with ESPN ranking him the highest at No. 56.

He already offers great size at a listed 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, and he's the only true edge rusher in the Badgers' 2026 class right now.

That position group has been the team's strongest this year, a bright spot in a season that doesn't have many.

The edge rusher position for Wisconsin will graduate four of its top play-makers, so they have a need for more young talent to develop for the future.

Gaad chose the Badgers over offers from a number of powerhouse programs including Texas, Georgia, Florida State and Ole Miss.

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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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