Wisconsin Badgers spring recruiting update: 2023 offensive line
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With spring football in full swing and the coaching staff welcoming a plethora of 2023 and 2024 recruits to campus, the Wisconsin Badgers and their recruiting efforts are ramping up ahead of summer official visits.
With that in mind, over the next two weeks, we will look at three players to watch at each position group in the 2023 recruiting class as the Badgers look to close on some of their top targets under the direction of recruiting coordinator Mickey Turner.
New offers are bound to come out, and recruitments seem to change at the drop of a hat, but let's look at the offensive linemen to know for the 2023 class at this time.
Previous 2023 position updates:
Joe Crocker
Franklin Road Academy offensive tackle Joe Crocker is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2023 recruiting class for the Badgers.
The 6-foot-6 tackle out of Nashville (Tenn.) is rated as a three-star recruit but has an impressive offer list and athletic profile that make him a very intriguing option for Wisconsin.
Crocker recently took an unofficial visit to Madison a couple of weeks ago, and the Badgers appear to be firmly in the mix for an official visit from him this summer.
Crocker is also a standout track athlete and currently holds offers from Arkansas, Boston College, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, Purdue, TCU, Tennessee, Virginia, and Virginia Tech.
With a less robust in-state crop of offensive linemen available for new position coach Bob Bostad, Joe Crocker is a top-of-the-board prospect in the 2023 cycle.
James Durand
Wisconsin offered Arizona native James Durand during a spring visit a few weeks ago, and the Badgers seem to be in a good spot early on.
At 6-foot-4 and a little under 300 pounds, Durand probably best projects to either guard or center at the next level, but he moves very well for a player of his size.
Growing up in Pac-12 country, the Badgers are battling a bevy of west coach schools for his services. Durand currently has offers from Arizona, Cal, Colorado, Iowa State, Oregon State, San Diego State, Utah, and Utah State.
The goal for Wisconsin needs to be to get Durand back up for a summer official visit now, as his scholarship list is likely to increase over the next few months.
The Badgers have stockpiled tackle prospects in the past three classes, so adding another interior player such as Durand makes sense in this recruiting class.
Elijah Paige
Elijah Paige is another offensive lineman out of Arizona that Bob Bostad has prioritized lately.
The 6-foot-7 tackle out of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix earned an offer from Wisconsin a month ago, and since then, Paige has only seen his recruitment continue to pick up steam.
The battle to pick up Paige's commitment will not be easy with Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, BYU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Stanford, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Utah, and Washington also in contention for the three-star lineman.
We shall see if he winds up visiting Madison in the near future.
Austin Barrett, the younger brother of sophomore guard Dylan Barrett, is another name to know in the 2023 class. Barrett is a player that could very well earn an offer this summer with a strong performance at camp.
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