Wisconsin Football: Big 2026 OL Commitment Doubles Down With '1000% a Badger' Post 5 Aug 30, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger performs during the game against the Western Michigan Broncos at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin Football Staff Aiming to Flip Impressive 2026 Cincinnati Commitment

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics
By Jarrett Guerrera | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 10:53 PM ET

The Wisconsin football staff had previous success landing an Ole Miss commitment, and now have set sights on a rising Cincinnati commitment.

Jeremiah Gray, a 2026 three-star defensive lineman, has seen a burst of offers and visits recently in his recruitment. The Michigan native has had a different path to football, picking up the sport much later than most of the 2026 recruiting class, but showing extreme potential. Gray stands tall at 6-feet-7-inches with the perfect frame to excel at the position moving forward which has drawn plenty of attention from other programs.

Currently, Gray is a hard commitment for the Cincinnati Bearcats, the first major program to offer and express interest in the recruit. Gray committed to the Bearcats back in April, but has since seen offers from Iowa, Kentucky, and the Wisconsin football program. The Badgers have been part of a particularly aggressive trio that hosted the recruit during official visit season.

Can the Wisconsin Football Staff Flip Cincinnati Commitment Jeremiah Gray?

Wisconsin Football Staff Aiming to Flip Impressive 2026 Cincinnati Commitment 2 Defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow goes through spring practice at the McClain Center in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday April 2, 2024.

While Gray has held solid thus far into his commitment with the Bearcats, the Wisconsin football staff among others are confident the recruit could flip his commitment due to the timing of his original announcement.

Gray previously committed very early into the process, and despite the commitment being months ago the recruit has only been a member of the 2026 recruiting class for a short time. The defensive lineman has not been through the process much but now has had the chance to visit other programs and attend skills camps.

For the Wisconsin staff, flipping Gray could become a priority since landing another defensive lineman is part of the 2026 class to-do list. The Badgers lost out on three-stars Ben Duncum, Carmelow Reed, and Jermaine Polk who all announced commitments to other programs. Four-star Jackson Ford is set to announce a commitment in a few days, but the recruit is not expected to choose the Badgers.

Gray could be the top target left along the defensive line for Wisconsin with official visit season fading away and commitments being locked-in.

Wisconsin Football Staff Aiming to Flip Impressive 2026 Cincinnati Commitment 3 Wisconsin defensive lineman Elijah Hills (94) is hugged by defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow after recovering a Northwestern fumble during the second quarter of their game Saturday October 19, 2024 at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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