The Wisconsin football staff has fallen short in the pursuit of a top remaining defensive back within the 2026 recruiting class.
Jamyan Theodore, a three-star cornerback from Tennessee, has announced a commitment to the Volunteers after considering the Badgers up until the end. Theodore was one of a handful of defensive backs on the Wisconsin recruiting board set to announce a commitment alongside Jowell Combay, Tony Forney, and Nick Reddish. Theodore had been tied to the Wisconsin football program for the last few months and the relationship picked up steam after an official visit in Madison.
However, the Badgers were not able to secure a commitment from the defensive back who had chosen to stay close to home. The Volunteers have proven to be a tough program to recruit against, currently holding the 12th ranked 2026 recruiting class including top overall recruit Faizon Brandon.
For the Wisconsin football staff, Theodore was one player on a list of recruits set to make a commitment announcement and the Badgers had been in a good position before landing a commitment in Zachary Taylor.
With Taylor a part of the 2026 recruiting class, the defensive back rooms may not receive another commitment within the group recruits set to announce a decision. Kell High School duo Tony Forney and Jowell Combay are both set to announce commitments in the coming days, but the two have kept recruiting details close. Both recruits are tied to Missouri, and likely will opt to commit to another program over the Badgers.
2026 three-star safety Nick Reddish also announced a commitment date recently for July 11th as the recruit will decide between Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Indiana, and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish had previously been the favorites to land the recruit, but Virginia Tech has been a very active program and aims to upset Notre Dame in the hunt for Reddish.
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