Three Positions Wisconsin Football Should Still Add to in '27 Recruiting Class

The Badgers sit at a comfy 22 commits, but what positions could still use some manpower?

Wisconsin transfer cornerback Cai Bates. | Christian Borman.

Securing a Tuesday afternoon commitment from three-star safety James "Trey" Roberson, Wisconsin football is now up to 22 commitments in the class of 2027.

That's a healthy number for early June, and it's helped the Badgers remain a consensus top-25 recruiting team nationally. But 22 is also a significant number because in Wisconsin's previous two complete high school recruiting classes (that didn't fall apart as the result of a 4-8 season, like the '26 class did), the Badgers signed exactly 22 prospects.

That means it's feasible that Wisconsin is getting close to the finish line in 2027, although due to the smaller 2026 class, the Badgers should seek a bigger crop of high school signees in this cycle.

Wisconsin has signed at least one player at every position, but where could head coach Luke Fickell and his scorching hot recruiting staff still look to add bodies? Badgers On SI takes a look at three positions that are still in need of reinforcements.

Wide Receiver

Chandler wide receiver Jai Jones. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wisconsin took three high school wideouts last season in its smaller 2026 class that featured just 13 total recruits. Each player was a three-star and not quite a top prospect at his position — the Badgers had one pledged in Jayden Petit, but he flipped to Oklahoma as Wisconsin crumbled on the field last fall.

The Badgers have two wideouts committed for 2027: four-star Arizona native Jai Jones and three-star Montana native Steele Harris.

Still, wide receiver is a position that the Badgers have yet to solve in the Fickell era. They've had some solid players, such as Vinny Anthony and Will Pauling, but they haven't had a consistently good wide receiver corps and they haven't consistently developed Big Ten-ready wideouts from the high school ranks.

There's a lot of ways to tackle that problem, but simply signing more high school prospects at the position is a good way to start; needing to take five wideouts in the transfer portal (like the Badgers did this winter) isn't sustainable and it's not how you build a winning offense.

Outside Linebacker

Wisconsin EDGE commit Darin Graham. | @DarinlGraham on X

Like wide receiver, Wisconsin already has two pledges at outside backer in the class of 2027. But again, the Badgers have relied on the transfer portal for outside backers too heavily in recent seasons.

This winter, they signed three edge players to add to Matt Mitchell's room, and the offseason prior the Badgers needed to add four outside backers via the portal. Again, that's an unsustainable practice, especially when you consider Mason Reiger is the only transfer edge defender that's truly panned out in Madison under Fickell's reign.

This is another position at which Wisconsin must begin to pump out home-grown talent; look for the Badgers to add another pass-rusher in 2027.

Cornerback

Oak Hills’ cornerback Royalton Allen. | Jose Huerta / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Badgers have two cornerbacks committed already, including one of the top players in Florida in four-star, 6-foot-3 superstar Mekhi Williams. Couple him with intriguing California prospect Royalton Allen, and you've got a very solid haul at corner. Still, I think Wisconsin has room to add one more player to Robert Steeples' room.

The Badgers have recruited like they want three cornerbacks, as they've pursued Evan Via (now a Stanford commit), Cristian Mbamarah (now a Northwestern commit) and Blaise Burwell (who remains uncommitted), among others, throughout the cycle. With two corners already committed, Wisconsin can be a little picky, but you get the feeling they want one more in 2027.