Top 2026 Badgers’ commitment thinking about future following Oklahoma Sooners visit

One such player Wisconsin has grown worried about, and rightfully so, is top-ranked commitment Jayden Petit. The wide receiver has been an absolute star on the field this season, breaking multiple Southwest Florida records in the process.

Wisconsin has already lost one receiver in the 2026 class, Tayshon Bardo, which hurts the overall depth of the class. However, the departure of Bardo was a mutual agreement and something the Badgers’ staff has accounted for moving forward. Currently the Badgers are set to move forward with Petit and three-star receiver Zion Legree.

Wisconsin Badgers Fighting to Keep 2026 Commitment Jayden Petit

Currently, Petit is the top-ranked commitment in the 2026 recruiting class for the Wisconsin Badgers’ staff. The wide receiver is the 234th overall recruit in the class and the 39th ranked receiver while earning a four-star grade. Petit originally committed to Wisconsin over programs like UNC, Missouri, and Oklahoma, but remains heavily connected to the Sooners’ staff.

The Wisconsin commitment is fresh off of a visit with the Sooners, and following the visit the recruit is thinking about his status much more. Coach Luke Fickell scheduled a call with Petit after the game, but the content of the meeting is unclear.

Fickell made Petit a priority recruit prior and losing the commitment would be a difficult loss for the staff. The Wisconsin recruiting class has already dropped multiple times and currently sits at 56th overall and 14th in the Big Ten Conference. Losing the four-star commitment would certainly cause another potential free fall in the rankings for Wisconsin.

Petit dropped “Badgers commitment” from his Social Media biography after the Badgers’ slide began to truly take place. The recruit has been a rock solid commitment up to this point, but the combination of the success of the Sooners on the field and the lack of production from the Badgers’ offense has left the recruit in an odd position.

The receiver previously noted that the success of the offense and health of the receiving room would be an important recruiting factor. The recruit wants to go somewhere that has a staff that will both utilize him and develop him properly. Wisconsin has notably struggled at quarterback this season which has in turn led to a steep lack of production from the Badgers’ receiving room.

How Wisconsin approaches the transfer portal in the future will also be important as overloading the room could cause Petit and other receiving options to shy away.

Perhaps the deciding factor in regards to the potential of Petit staying in Madison or not involves the future Badgers’ staff. Wisconsin recruits are under the impression that Coach Luke Fickell will return as coach next season while Fickell stated there are still “goals that need to be met” before a return is cemented. The offense is currently averaging 12.5 points per game which is dead last in the Big Ten Conference by a wide margin (UCLA, 20.4).