4-star RB headlines offensive recruits taking official visits with Wisconsin Badgers this weekend

Wisconsin did not sign a running back in its 2025 class, so securing at least one this cycle is imperative. That could be solved with a four-star recruit with a familial connection to a current Badgers defensive back.

Running back Amari Latimer is a key target who was on campus April 19 for the program’s spring showcase scrimmage. On3 currently evaluates him the higher than the other recruiting outlets as the No. 175 player and No. 19 running back in the 2025 class.

Latimer's older brother, cornerback Geimere Latimer II, transferred to Wisconsin from Jacksonville State during the winter offseason and emerged in the secondary during spring practices. 

Latimer finished his junior season with 1,113 yards rushing on 8.2 yards per carry with 15 rushing touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. The Georgia product can also catch the ball out of the backfield, reeling in 27 receptions for 363 yards receiving and four touchdowns last year.

Good group of wide receivers

The Badgers already have one commitment from a 2026 wide receiver in Tayshon Bardo (Mishawaka Penn, Indiana), and position coach Jordan Reid is in contention for a few key targets.

Zachary Washington, who plays for Wheaton St. Francis in Illinois, is a longtime target who announced last spring an offer from the program. He’s returned to Madison multiple times since then and is slated to take an official visit this weekend.

A three-star recruit who’s listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds on Hudl, Washigton has Wisconsin among his top seven schools that was unveiled earlier this month. 

Another receiver coming in for an official visit is Jayden Petit, a consensus four-star recruit who caught 116 passes for 1,918 yards receiving and 28 touchdowns in the last two seasons for Naples First Baptist Academy in Florida, according to MaxPreps.

He’s been up to Madison twice this spring, including most recently for the April 19 spring showcase scrimmage.

Listed at 6-4 and 205 pounds on Hudl, Petit is transferring at Naples St. John Neumann, where former Wisconsin walk-on safety (and Super Bowl champion) Chris Maragos now coaches.

Still looking for tight end commits

Wisconsin has signed two tight ends in each of its last two classes under Fickell. A couple of 2026 recruits are anticipated to be in Madison this weekend.

Jack Sievers is a four-star recruit by ESPN and took an unofficial visit to Wisconsin in early April. Other official visits the Washington native has tweeted include Boise State (June 5-7), Minnesota (June 13-15) and San Diego State (June 17-19).

Another target coming to town is Jack Janda (Novi Detroit Catholic Central, Michigan), listed at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds on Hudl.

He has also announced Power Four offers from Cincinnati, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon, Purdue, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Washington and West Virginia.

Can OL coach AJ Blazek land another four-star lineman?

Wisconsin’s in solid position with this unit heading into summer official visits with two commits in Benjamin Novak (Merrillville Andrean, Indiana) and Maddox Cochrane (Richmond Benedictine College Prep). 

Offensive line coach AJ Blazek has done a great job quickly building rapport with four-star recruit Kamari Blair (Clarksville Kirkwood, Tennessee), so much so that Blair included the Badgers among his top six schools and will take an official visit this weekend.

"The reason that they're my top six is just my relationship with coach Blaz," Blair said last week of Wisconsin. "That's my main care when I'm getting recruited and choosing the school is I'm a big relationship guy. So that and the fact that they've had success with the O-linemen getting drafted so much in the past."

Other official visits Blair's expected to take include South Carolina, Florida State, Mississippi, and now Tennessee, according to 247Sports.

More Wisconsin Badgers News:

• Summer official visits have been critical to building current Wisconsin Badgers team

• Wisconsin Badgers 2026 recruiting class drops down in national rankings ahead of official visits

• Wisconsin Badgers' 2026 recruiting class on pace with Luke Fickell's previous two classes

• How summer official visits have shaped Wisconsin Badgers recruiting classes under Luke Fickell