When summer began, Wisconsin only had two players committed for the football recruiting class of 2010. Defensive end prospect Konrad Zagzebski had de-committed from Minnesota to become a Badger, and Marquis Mason, a wide receiver from Madison, gave his verbal commitment to the coaching staff. Well, you can now add six more names to the commitment list as the UW staff has reeled in a variety of new prospects.
At the start of the 2010 recruiting cycle it became clear head coach Bret Bielema and his staff were only going to take one quarterback, so they zeroed in on a prospect they thought very highly of. Fortunately for Bielema, the staff got their desired quarterback when Joseph Brennan committed to UW.
Brennan, a 6-foot-4-inch signal caller, was the latest commitment to the 2010 class and his verbal was a big sigh of relief for UW. The New Jersey native was a highly sought after prospect and his offer list contained schools such as Miami, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers. The Wisconsin staff knew they wanted Brennan and it appears the premier pocket passer wanted to be a Badger all along.
The only other new addition on the offensive side of the ball comes from an in-state offensive line prospect. Dallas Lewallen, a 6-foot-6-inch tackle from Berlin, Wis., was barely recognized by any school aside from UW, but the coaching staff liked what they saw at the summer high school camp he performed at and offered shortly after. Lewallen looked better than every other offensive lineman who attended the camp, and the coaches did not want to let the under-the-radar prospect slip away.
The defensive side of the ball has seen plenty of new additions, especially up front on the defensive line. Jake Irwin, a defensive end from Waunakee, joins the list of in-state prospects who have committed to UW. Like Lewallen, Irwin’s only offer came from the Badgers and he earned it after his performance at the summer camp. Irwin was unblockable, and his ability off the edge caught the coaches by surprise.
The defensive tackle position also received a boost with the commitment of Bryce Gilbert, a 6-foot-2, 285-pound prospect from Brookfield. Gilbert was one of the first in-state prospects to be offered and he was also one of the first to commit. The coaches are looking to add a couple defensive tackles in the 2010 class, and they were thrilled to lock up a quality in-state talent at the position early on. Gilbert already has the size to battle in the trenches and his presence gives UW more depth at the currently thin tackle spot.
While the defensive line of the future begins to take shape, the coaches have begun to look to for talent to play behind it at the linebacker position. Outside linebacker prospect Cameron Ontko should be able to fill that need. The 6-foot, 211-pound linebacker from Cuyahuga Falls, Ohio ran a 4.41 40-yard dash and displayed incredible athleticism at every camp he attended.
The last of the eight prospects that have committed to UW thus far plan on serving as the last line of defense for years to come. Frank Tamakloe, a 6-foot-3-inch safety from Olney, Md., verbally committed to the Badgers several weeks ago. He comes from a prestigious high school program that churns out top-flight prospects year after year and Tamakloe appears to be a top-flight prospect himself. The safety is on ESPN’s top 150 watch list and he held offers from schools such as Maryland, West Virginia and Wake Forest.
Several prospects are on board for the class of 2010, but there is still a long way to go. There are about 12 scholarships remaining and the UW staff has offers out to numerous big-name prospects. While the Midwest remains the Badgers major pipeline for prospects, the East Coast has surprisingly been able to provide some added talent for this year’s class. Time will tell how good this recruiting class will be, but the Wisconsin coaching staff has certainly gotten off to a fast start.
