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Pine Forest running back Zion Legree (No. 6) slips past the Escambia defense during their district battle. Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

4-star receiver among 2026 recruits taking official visits to Wisconsin football during key weekend

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Jake Kocorowski | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 6:13 AM ET

It's a small group of visiting players expected for the University of Wisconsin football program this weekend, but they could fill key positions in the Badgers' 2026 class.

Four recruits are slated to take official visits in Madison from June 12-15. Coach Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin staff hosted four uncommitted recruits last week, along with three committed players.

There have seen a handful of 2026 recruits announce their intentions to join the program this month, all who took official visits the weekend of May 29-June 1. But there hasn't been a player who's declared since tight end Jack Janda on June 4.

Wisconsin has 11 commits who have disclosed their verbal pledges for the 2026 class. Here's who to watch for this weekend.

Another 4-star receiver to keep tabs on

Wisconsin hosted Zachary Washington (Wheaton St. Francis, Illinois) and Jayden Petit (Naples St. John Neumann) the weekend of May 29-June 1, but the program still has only one 2026 receiver who has announced his commitment in Tayshon Bardo (Mishawaka Penn).

Zion Legree is a former Mississippi commit who previously played at Pensacola Pine Forest but will now move on to Destin. Rivals evaluates him as the No. 220 player nationally and No. 28 receiver in the 2026 class.

Legree announced he was taking a visit to Ohio State on Thursday, but he's also posted a recent offer from Nebraska. A previous list of top eight schools in October 2024 boasted Ole Miss, Georgia, Miami, Missouri, Illinois, Washington, Florida and Mississippi State.

There's also a connection with current Wisconsin backup quarterback Danny O'Neil.

I will be in Wisconsin for an Official Visit this weekend!! @JohnGarcia_Jr @DestinSharksFB @UANextFootball @TomLoy247 @ChadSimmons_@C3Elite7v7 @BuckyRecruiting @christianborman
(clip from my QB & I @_dannyoneil a couple years back) pic.twitter.com/02yhlcRh0t
— Zion “BEAN” legree (@allstarbean) June 11, 2025

Can Wisconsin dip into Texas for help on the edge?

The Badgers saw its lone outside linebacker commit, Carmelow Reed, flip to Ole Miss earlier this month. Four-star recruit McHale Blade announced his commitment to Michigan earlier this week, while Wisconsin will need to continue to battle other Big Ten powerhouses for Jackson Samuels Ford.

Ben Duncum's a three-star edge rusher by 247Sports who plays for Austin Lake Travis in Texas. The recruit told Wisconsin Badgers On SI late last month that he's 6-foot-6 and between 240-245 pounds. He described being recruited as essentially a strong-side defensive end within the team's adjusted scheme that was seen in the spring.

"When I was first being recruited by them, it was coach (E.J.) Whitlow that I was more in contact with," Duncum previously said. "Kind of more of a D-tackle, until they realized that I'm kind of more taller and lengthy, and I changed my body to look more of an edge (rusher). So I'm going to play, I think, more of an edge, outside linebacker for them."

Duncam took an official visit to Oklahoma State last weekend, while he had scheduled one to Kentucky from June 20-22.

Spring game highlights ‼️‼️
-6 sacks
-2 TFLS pic.twitter.com/km2OKO94r2
— Ben Duncum 4⭐️ (@ben_duncum) May 17, 2025

Wisconsin bringing in two teammates from Georgia

The Badgers currently do not have a 2026 commit projected to play safety. Jowell Combay and Tony Forney Jr., who play at Marietta Kell in Georgia, could change that.

Combay's already taken official visits to Missouri and South Carolina, and those schools plus Wisconsin make up three of his final five schools in a list released via Rivals on Tuesday. The four-star defensive back plans to announce his commitment July 9.

NEWS: Four-star safety Jowell Combay has logged official visits to Mizzou and South Carolina already and is down to five finalists — with a commitment date locked in

The latest from Combay as this race heats up: https://t.co/0FHApnyfAj pic.twitter.com/9RJtA8PtNI
— Sam Spiegelman (@samspiegs) June 10, 2025

Forney, a three-star recruit, listed Wisconsin among his top five programs on May 29 alongside Auburn, Pittsburgh, Missouri and Georgia. He also took an official visit to Missouri a couple of weeks ago.