Are the Badgers taking a turn with in state recruiting under Luke Fickell?

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads the Wisconsin Badgers onto the field before playing the Illinois Fighting Illini at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 22, 2025. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images The Wisconsin Badgers have been off to quite the start with in-state recruiting in the 2027 class, as their first eight commits in the cycle have all come from Wisconsin. Not only are the Badgers landing players from the state, but they’re also getting a majority of the top talent.

Each of those eight recruits is in the top 10 of 247Sports’s Composite rankings for the state in the 2027 class. Wisconsin’s class started with the commitment of three-star offensive lineman Ethan McIntosh, the son of recently resigned Athletic Director Chris McIntosh, who also played for the Badgers. After that came the commitment of four-star Korz Loken, who is the No.

2 player in the state and a top-10 tight end in the class nationally. The verbal pledges have rained in from there, with three-star safety Dustin Roach, three-star edge rusher Isaac Miller, four-star offensive lineman Cole Reiter, four-star running back Kingston Allen, four-star offensive lineman Hunter Mallinger, and three-star offensive lineman Reece Mallinger all committing to the program over the last few months. Wisconsin’s class now stands at No.

13 overall in the 247Sports rankings, and it’s come purely from one of the most talented in-state classes in recent memory. This level of in-state recruiting has been a change from Luke Fickell and his staff, as the Badgers have cast more of a national web since the head coach arrived. The Badgers got one commit from the state in the Class of 2023, three in 2024, five in 2025, and one in 2026.