The Wisconsin football program is many things, but being great at recruiting is not one of them. It’s not something they earn national recognition for, anyway. After last season’s undefeated run to the Big Ten title game and thrilling win over Miami in the Orange Bowl, things looked like they were turning around. The Badgers started earning commitments from big-time recruits.
The face of the Class of 2019 is Graham Mertz, a four-star quarterback from Mission, Kansas whose 247 recruiting profile still lists Ohio State and Minnesota as the favorites to ultimately land Mertz. His meteoric rise from a junior last year to a top 100 player as a senior was something only Wisconsin got out in front of.