Why Three-Star LB Commit Nathan Jones is a Big Deal for Wisconsin Football

Why Wisconsin's second commit from Arizona is a big one.

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Wisconsin football double-dipped in the state of Arizona on Sunday, landing two commitments immediately following their first official visit weekend of the recruiting cycle.

First, four-star Chandler wideout Jai Jones pledged to the Badgers on Sunday morning. Several hours later, Desert Edge linebacker Nathan Jones followed suit.

Jones was considered pretty likely to commit to Wisconsin, but the linebacker's commitment is still a big deal for the Badgers and a significant development in the 2027 cycle. Here's why:

Jones is rapidly ascending

Any conversation about why landing Jones is a big deal must start with the linebacker himself. For a while, almost no one had heard of the three-star recruit from Desert Edge. Then, he began to pick up some serious steam in the winter of 2026 following his junior season. He landed an offer from the in-state Arizona Wildcats in January, and that opened the floodgates.

By the time he committed to Wisconsin, Jones boasted 15 offers including Arizona, Baylor, Florida State and Kansas State. The linebacker is a consensus three-star and the No. 33 player in Arizona on both 247Sports and On3/Rivals.

Take a look at his tape, and it's easy to see why Jones exploded after his junior year. He plays a multitude of positions from edge to mike linebacker to fullback, and he plays each with ferocious physicality. With Borland leading his recruitment, the Badgers see him as an inside backer at the moment, but it never hurts to have that kind of versatility.

Wisconsin has its ILB duo for the 2027 class

Cooper Catalano (left), Mason Posa (center) and Tuf Borland (right). | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin signed just one linebacker in the smaller 2026 recruiting cycle — Ben Wenzel from Appleton, Wisconsin. The year prior, they landed the now-starting duo of Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano.

Keaton Wollan, who pledged to the Badgers in mid-May, flipping from Iowa State, was Wisconsin's first ILB signee. Now, they've got a pair of inside backers and could be wrapped up at the position in this cycle. Inside linebackers coach Tuf Borland has been busy in May, and in the span of just over two weeks, he has his first two commitments as a position coach in Madison.

Wisconsin taking care of business

Again, Jones was heavily trending towards the Badgers. Still, it's good to see the staff execute and cross the finish line with a top prospect they really like at a position they still needed.

Jones, who has family from Wisconsin, had a soft spot in his heart from the Badgers all along. But don't let that detract from the importance of the linebacker's commitment. He could've played for a handful of Power Four schools, but Wisconsin got him on campus early on during official visit season, alongside a handful of other current commits. That's exactly how you close on a prospect, and it's exactly what the Badgers did.