Wisconsin hosting two tight ends on official visits this weekend
With Luke Fickell taking over as head coach of the Wisconsin football program, the Badgers are still looking to add to their 2023 recruiting class.
Currently sitting at nine commits in the 2023 cycle, one of the top unfilled positions of need is tight end. After missing on multiple talented tight ends over the summer, things have been relatively quiet at the position until recently.
With the early signing period just weeks away, it appears the Badgers are turning up the heat on a pair of athletic prospects committed elsewhere at this time to potentially add to their 2023 class that Luke Fickell called a "No. 1 priority" during his introductory press conference.
Without further ado, here is an official visit preview of both prospects set to visit Madison this weekend.
C.J. Jacobsen of Meridian, Idaho
First up, the Badgers are expecting 2023 tight end C.J. Jacobsen out of Idaho to make the trip to Wisconsin this Saturday. A consensus three-star prospect, Jacobsen is a talented athlete with great size at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds.
On film, Jacobsen showcases an ability to be a playmaker as a receiver and as a blocker, both of which are important in the Big Ten.
Jacobsen has actually been committed to Utah since mid-October, but he is still keeping his options open with signing day drawing closer. Also sporting offers from Air Force, Arizona, Arizona State, Boise State, BYU, Colorado State, Liberty, Louisville, NC State, Nevada, Oregon, UNLV, Utah State, and Washington State, the Badgers will have their work cut out to pry him away from the Utes.
Considered the No. 43 tight end in the country by On3, Jacobsen is widely thought of as the No. 2 player in the state of Idaho for his grade, and a top-1000 player by the 247 Sports Composite.
The Rocky Mountain High School star recently earned an invitation to play in the Army All-American Bowl on December 16, one of the most prestigious high school all-star games after a big senior season with over 500 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
You can check out Jacobsen's senior highlights here. Overall, he does a great job of creating separation with his speed and high-pointing the football when going up against defenders in 50-50 situations.
Tucker Ashcraft of Seattle, Washington
The Wisconsin Badgers are also excited to welcome Seattle native Tucker Ashcraft to campus on Saturday. Ashcraft confirmed with All Badgers that it is an official visit.
Committed to the Colorado Buffaloes since April, Ashcraft's visit comes on the heels of Colorado firing head coach Karl Dorrell in October. With uncertainty surrounding where the Buffaloes will go with their head coaching vacancy, Ashcraft has official visits lined up with Wisconsin (this weekend) and Michigan State the following week.
A three-star prospect, Ashcraft is ranked as the No. 57 tight end in the 2023 class and the No. 20 player in Washington by 247 Sports.
Playing for O'Dea High School in Seattle, Ashcraft was a first-team All-Metro selection this past season, and on film, he showcases his ability as a blocker and a receiver. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 235 pounds, he has good size for the position, and he appears to be a solid deep threat considering his abilities to catch the ball downfield.
In addition to interest from Wisconsin, Ashcraft holds scholarship offers from Air Force, Idaho, Colorado, Michigan State, and a smattering of FCS schools.
You can check out highlights from the first seven games of his senior season here, and it will be interesting to see if Wisconsin can make a move in Ashcraft's recruitment this weekend.
With Luke Fickell in town, this is the first recruiting weekend for the new head coach, and we shall see if he can close out one or both of these priority targets as the Badgers look to add to their nine-player class for 2023.
Related links:
- Wisconsin offers a transfer tight end and two others
- Recap: Introductory press conference and welcome event for Luke Fickell
- 10 potential targets for Luke Fickell in the 2023 recruiting class at Wisconsin
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