Wisconsin Can't Capitalize on Recruiting Momentum to Land 4-star OT

The Badgers will look elsewhere to put the finishing touches on the 2027 offensive line.

Cameron Wagner, St. Joseph Ogden offensive tackle, soaks up the atmosphere of the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Wisconsin football team is off to a blistering start, building its 2027 class. While a majority of the twelve committed players are Wisconsin natives, they are also in deep with some top-ranked regional recruits as well.

4-star offensive tackle Cameron Wagner (St. Joseph, IL) is one of those prospects. Even though the Badgers already have commitments from Cole Reiter, Ethan McIntosh, and Reece and Hunter Mallinger, they are looking to add a fifth offensive lineman to an already-impressive group.

Wagner would be just that.

After taking a visit to Wisconsin for spring practice, Wagner dropped his final four schools from which he would choose. Wisconsin made the cut along with Oregon, Notre Dame, and Illinois.

The highly sought-after recruit out of Illinois has offers from all over the country and many of the blue-blood programs. Wagner is the 30th-ranked offensive tackle and 345th overall player in the country, regardless of position.

After offensive line coach AJ Blazek was fired, he was replaced by former Arkansas offensive line coach Eric Mateos, who hasn’t skipped a beat on the recruiting trail. Mateos was able to close the deal on Reiter and the Mallinger twins and kept the Badgers in the thick of things with Wagner.

Ultimately, it just wasn't quite enough. Wagner committed to Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks over the Badgers, Irish, and Fighting Illini while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show.

Wagner was scheduled to take an official visit with the Badgers on their monster recruiting weekend at the end of May, in just three weeks. Whether that visit will take place now that he is committed to Oregon remains to be seen.

A commitment from Wagner would have been icing on the cake for the group that Mateos is already bringing into Madison. The Badgers will continue to look at other options, including Reed Gerkin, who also has the Badgers in his final four teams and is scheduled to make his commitment on June 22.

The Badgers' 2027 class is still a top-20 group, coming in at No. 16 in the country as the rankings currently stand today. Fickell and his staff have done a nice job of locking down commitments early in this cycle, giving them more time at official visits to focus on uncommitted players. Not to mention the recruiting they get from many of the players who are already locked into the Badgers' class.