Which key Wisconsin Badgers took summer official visits?

Class of 2020: OLB Nick Herbig

Herbig was a huge pickup for former defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and outside linebackers coach Bobby April III. He took an official visit in June 2019 and announced his commitment days later.

Herbig went on to earn All-America and All-Big Ten honors at Wisconsin, finishing his career with 137 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in three seasons.

Class of 2021: N/A

These 2021 recruits should have taken summer official visits in 2020, but the NCAA placed a hold on recruiting visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is worth noting that current starting cornerback Ricardo Hallman and outside linebacker Darryl Peterson committed during the summer of 2020.

Class of 2022: OL Joe Brunner

You can place wide receiver Vinny Anthony II and safety Austin Brown into this group, who are in line to significantly contribute in 2025. But Brunner can be seen as the biggest win for the 2022 recruiting cycle with fellow targeted in-state linemen Carson Hinzman (Ohio State) and Billy Schrauth (Notre Dame) eventually signing elsewhere with College Football Playoff contenders.

Brunner will be a redshirt junior this season and is projected to start once again on the offensive line. The big question will be if he will stay at left guard, as he did last season, or if he will be asked to slide out to left tackle with the ACL injury to projected starter Kevin Heywood.

Class of 2023: WR Trech Kekahuna

Kekahuna decommitted after the firing of former coach Paul Chryst, but considering the coaching changes within the program and the vast amounts of decommitments and transfers in this class, the Hawaii native gets the nod here.

Kekahuna took a summer official visit in June 2022 and announced his commitment thereafter. After reopening his recruiting process months later in November, he committed to Arizona briefly before flipping to Wisconsin during the 2023 early signing period.

Despite flashing in a few games during his early time in Madison, he’s yet to fully breakout for the Badgers. He caught 25 passes for 339 yards receiving and two touchdowns last season, and despite a brief stay in the transfer portal during the winter offseason, came back to Wisconsin to play in a new offensive scheme under coordinator Jeff Grimes.

Class of 2024: Kevin Heywood

You could pick amongst a few big names who committed after taking their official visits during Fickell’s first full recruiting cycle at Wisconsin (see: running backs Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones or fellow offensive lineman Emerson Mandell), but Heywood could be among the next generation of great Wisconsin linemen.

His on-field path to that potential will have to wait for a while after the ACL injury suffered in April.

Class of 2025: LB Mason Posa

Four-star wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr., outside linebacker Nicolas Clayton and offensive lineman Hardy Watts, among others, could be nominees for this group. Hilton and Clayton shined during spring practices after enrolling early in January, but arguably the biggest win is Posa.

Posa was arguably the top target for not just the linebacker position, but Wisconsin's entire 2025 class. The Badgers eventually beat out Oregon and Texas A&M last June, and he will arrive on campus this upcoming month.

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