Wisconsin Football Lands DB Recruit With 35 offers, Adding to Stacked '27 Secondary

Wisconsin football recruiting is scalding to the touch.

Wisconsin safeties coach Jack Cooper. | Courtesy of Jake Kocorowski

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers are on the kind of recruiting run that, if things begin to turn around in Madison, could be talked about for years to come.

Wisconsin has its ninth commitment in nine days, as three-star Allen, Texas safety James "Trey" Roberson pledged to the Badgers Tuesday afternoon.

I’m Home Badger Nation! #OnWisconsin #JumpAround27 #LetsWork pic.twitter.com/fzAM1HG1mN

— James (Trey) Roberson (@Jrobe0) June 9, 2026

Roberson is a consensus three-star prospect on both major recruiting sites, but he's an extremely highly sought-after player. The safety lists 35 offers including Miami, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Auburn, among many others. The other schools on his official visit slate included Mississippi State, TCU and UCF.

Quick Scouting Report

The 6-foot, 190-pound prospect is a bit smaller at the safety position, but he's a highly instinctual, physical defensive back who looks comfortable lining up all over the field. Roberson also looks to have a great speed, and he's a track and field athlete as well.

While the physical tools don't jump off the screen, Roberson's play absolutely does. He's not the biggest, and he's not the most freakishly athletic, and that's evident on tape. But he also sees plays before they happen and looks to be a nightmare for opposing offensive coordinators given his ability to blow up a play from any number of alignments on the field.

You also love the effort and hunger you see on tape. He has that aformentioned physicality, and even if he's a smaller defensive back in the Big Ten, he plays like his life is on the line every snap. That's an elite intangible quality that, quite honestly, Wisconsin could use more of.

Badgers have an elite crop of 2027 DBs

Wisconsin safeties coach Jack Cooper, right, directs Racine Case athlete Michael Farr after the Badgers' camp June 15. | Courtesy of Jake Kocorowski

The Badgers are now up to 22 commits in the class of 2027, in a class that ranks No. 14 nationally (5th in the Big Ten) on 247Sports and No. 24 (9th in the Big Ten) on On3/Rivals.

They also have three safeties in tow with Roberson, Dustin Roach from Waukesha and DJ Davis from Delaware. All three are three-star prospects, but all also appear to have high athletic upside. Davis and Roach are taller at 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-2, respectively — all three safeties Jack Cooper has reeled in this cycle compliment each other nicely.

Wisconsin now also has five defensive backs in total in 2027, as new cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples has also landed four-star Mekhi Williams and three-star Royalton Allen.

There's just one blue chip here, but you have to love this crop of defensive backs thus far. Each player feels like they're being brought to Madison with intentionality, boasting unique skillsets and/or athletic upside that the Badgers especially need.