New Wisconsin Badgers walk-on commit the next in line from state prep powerhouse

Aiden Dirksen is another Pirate set to become a Badger.

Dirksen gave his verbal commitment to the University of Wisconsin football program last week, which he announced Saturday. He's anticipated to be the next player from in-state powerhouse Green Bay Bay Port, which won the WIAA Division 1 state championship last season, to play in Madison.

"I think it's really neat because, of course, being from Green Bay, and having a bunch of guys from Bay Port go to Wisconsin, it's cool being part of that," Dirksen said. "Just to know that I'm a homegrown Badger from Green Bay, where Bay Port sends some good quality talent to Wisconsin, it's just a cool feeling to be part of that."

Here's a list of some former Badgers who came from the prominent prep program in the last 20-25 years.

Linebacker Landon Gauthier (2024-present)

Gauthier's the most recent Bay Port grad to head to Madison. The former three-star recruit was a large school all-state honoree by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Assocation (WFCA) in 2023. He recorded 188 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three interceptions between the 2021-23 seasons, according to WisSports.net.

He enrolled early at Wisconsin in January 2024, though he did not play last season.

Offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (2016-20)

Van Lanen, a four-star recruit and No. 73 player in the nation by 247Sports in the 2016 class, was a big win for former coach Paul Chryst and his staff.

Van Lanen played 45 games at Wisconsin and earned second-team All-America honors by CBS Sports for his efforts in the 2019 season. He also was named a first-team All-Big Ten pick in the COVID-truncated 2020 season.

The hometown Green Bay Packers selected Van Lanen in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, but he's played with the Jacksonville Jaguars since being traded to the AFC South organization in August 2022.

Fullback Alec Ingold (2015-19)

Ingold wore many hats at Wisconsin, initially starting at inside linebacker before moving to tailback during his freshman season and finally to fullback. He played in 51 games in all, scoring 21 touchdowns in a career that saw him either carry or catch the ball a total of 117 times.

Ingold then went on to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He's now entering his seventh season in the NFL, his fourth with the Miami Dolphins.

Punter Kenny DeBauche (2003-07)

DeBauche now ranks fourth all-time in school history in career yards per punt average (42.5) with those who have or had a minimum of 100 attempts. He was previously third, but current Badgers punter Atticus Bertrams (currently at 43.2 yards per punt in 118 attempts the last two seasons) usurped him after last season. We'll see if that holds for Bertrams heading into 2025.

DeBauche's 44.8 yards per punt average in 2005 ranks third all-time in school history for a single season, a year where he was honored as a second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated.

Offensive lineman Dan Buenning (2000-04)

Buenning was a fixture at guard for Wisconsin and played 50 games between the 2001 and 2004 seasons. He received second-team All-America honors in 2004 from the Associated Press and Sporting News.

Tampa Bay selected Buenning in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft, and he played for the Buccaneers and Chicago Bears.

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