Twenty-four scholarship athletes and six preferred walk-ons have rounded out another solid UW recruiting class.
Here are some grades by position for the 2010 class.
Quarterbacks — 4 of 5
There was only one quarterback taken in this class, but the staff seems very comfortable with the one they took — Joseph Brennan.
Brennan has a strong arm and stands tall in the pocket thanks to his 6-foot-4 inch frame. Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst wanted the New Jersey native from the very beginning and got a prospect loaded with potential. Looking at the depth chart, no other quarterback was really needed, and Brennan will have plenty of time to develop behind Scott Tolzien and Curt Phillips.
Running backs — 4 of 5
In the backfield, the St. Thomas Aquinas pipeline continues.
James C. White is one of the big names in this year’s class and for good reason. White is extremely quick and elusive with 4.4 speed, and the 5-foot-10 back doesn’t shy away from contact.
Brookfield, Wis., native Jeff Lewis joins White as the other running back in this class. Lewis doesn’t have the speed White possesses, but the 6-foot-2 back does have a height advantage. Lewis’s height and solid hands have led some to believe that the prospect could evolve into a wide receiver, but time will tell.
Wide receivers — 2.5 of 5
There are a lot of question marks surrounding the group of receivers coming to Madison.
Isaiah Williams was a late addition after he de-committed from Purdue, and the Miami native has been lauded by scouts for his precise route running and ability to get open, despite his lack of top-end speed.
The two other commits, Chase Hammond and Marquis Mason, have tremendous size but need to refine their technique to succeed at the next level. Both stand at around 6-foot-4, and it will be interesting to see if either ends up being converted into a tight end.
Tight ends — 4 of 5
This is a tough position to grade with the aforementioned futures of Hammond and Mason up for debate, but there are two other highly coveted prospects in this class.
Sherard Cadogan played on both sides of the line in high school (same school as quarterback signee Brennan), but UW will look to make Cadogan the next great Badger tight end.
The other tight end prospect — Manasseh Garner — has the versatility to play multiple positions, and his athletic ability just jumps out on film. Garner should fit the Beckum/Kendricks mold.
Offensive line — 3.5 of 5
There are plenty of big boys on the UW offensive line, but one incoming freshman’s measurables are just eye-popping.
Robby Havenstein checks in at 6-foot-8, 350 pounds. If Havenstein can develop sound footwork, he could be a force at right tackle for a long time.
Dallas Lewallen isn’t much smaller at 6-foot-5, 302 pounds, and the underrated lineman from Berlin will immediately add depth to an already loaded O-line.
Defensive line — 4 of 5
The defensive tackle position was an area that needed serious attention, and the UW staff landed a huge commitment from the Gopher state.
Beau Allen, a 300-plus pound tackle from Minnetonka, Minn., is arguably the top prospect in this entire class, and his size will put him in a position to enter the rotation as soon as he steps on campus.
Bryce Gilbert and Jake Irwin are two in-state prospects who made strong impressions on the coaching staff. Konrad Zagzebski, who at one point was the top-ranked player in the state of Wisconsin, will look to make the transition from linebacker to defensive end after suffering an ACL tear during his senior season.
Linebackers — 2.5 of 5
Josh Harrison, Cameron Ontko and Cody Byers are three prospects who have helped UW keep presence in Ohio. Harrison is a physical linebacker and a solid tackler, but questions linger concerning his speed.
Ontko on the other hand, probably earned some offers due to speed alone. Ontko ran a 4.4 forty, and if the two-star prospect can add some size, he could be a force off the edge.
Cornerbacks — 2.5 of 5
The reason for the low mark here is due to the lack of corners the staff added.
The cornerback position needs to improve, and Badger fans would probably like to see a few more prospects come in to compete for playing time.
Peniel Jean is a solid prospect who will challenge the UW corners from day one, and Jameson Wright, a converted high school safety, provides some much needed size at 6-foot-1.
Safeties — 4.5 of 5
Racine-native Michael Trotter, the top-ranked player in Wisconsin according to Rivals.com, fills a big need with his exciting potential.
And Frank Tamakloe (a member of the ESPN 150 watch list) gives UW another talented option in the defensive backfield. The 6-foot-3 Maryland safety has great size and shows explosiveness in run support. A few years in the conditioning program should help produce another impact safety.
