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Inside the recruitment: Why 2025 Texas three-star DL Xavier Ukponu chose the Badgers

Related Topics: Elijah Clarence Hills

The Wisconsin Badgers started off the month of August strong with a commitment from 2025 three-star defensive lineman Xavier Ukponu, closing out their defensive line room with a big-bodied recruit.

Ukponu, a native of Texas, was a major grab given the need at the position, as well as his hefty offer list that included the likes of LSU, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas A&M, Oregon, and USC, among others.

With so many teams after his services, what led the defensive linemen to pick Wisconsin?

“Just what you guys are building and I felt like y’all had the tools to develop me and there’s not a lot of portal activity so it felt like the stable right program for me and also a great staff,” Ukponu said about Wisconsin.