Badgers Growing Close to 2027 Defensive Back Despite Strong Penn State Interest

After extending an offer to Gleason Jr., the Badgers staff began to keep close contact with the recruit and likely will continue to do so throughout the season. Gleason Jr. is a talented player who has not quite had the opportunity or stage to fully showcase his talents yet. This past season and summer were both massive times for the growth and exposure of the defensive back, but there is still plenty of time for more changes to occur.

One such change involves the rankings, which will likely lead to more programs offering the recruit when he reaches that exposure boost. Currently, Gleason Jr. is not ranked, but is considered to be one of the top defensive backs in the state of Pennsylvania early on.

On the field, Gleason Jr. is a bit smaller of a defensive back currently at 6-feet, 165-pounds, but the playing style of the recruit is much bigger. The defensive back is not shy in the air and often can leap and send his body directly into the line of the football. Between his football intelligence and quick agility, Gleason Jr. is seemingly always a step ahead of opposing offenses and always in the right spot to make a play.

Gleason Jr. is still considered to be a rather raw recruit with limited experience thus far and some skills that still need refining. However, the speed at which the defensive back is able to make improvements and fully implement them into play is impressive. Between the end of his season to his first camp of the off-season, Gleason Jr. made serious improvements to his explosiveness and awareness on the field.

Can the Badgers Steal Gleason Jr. Away From the Nittany Lions Moving Forward?

While Penn State is somewhat interested in the recruit and Gleason Jr. has developed a relationship with the staff, landing with the Nittany Lions seems unlikely. Penn State is still evaluating the 2027 class and some of those scholarship offers are being extended now to the class. Gleason Jr. may receive one in the future, but until the Nittany Lions prove they are all in on the recruit, playing for the program likely seems out of the question.

Gleason Jr. could become a member of the Badgers one day in the near future, but that situation will not occur if the staff does not work fast. Gleason Jr. will certainly see his recruitment continue to take-off and Wisconsin will need to stay close to the recruit. The coming months will be very telling of where the recruitment of Gleason Jr. goes involving the Badgers as the staff continues to add tons of recruits to different game-day visits.