Badgers Ramp Up In-State Recruiting for 2027 Class

As of November 13, 2025, the Wisconsin Badgers football program has taken a more aggressive approach to recruiting in-state talent for their 2027 recruiting class. The team has already offered scholarships to 8 players from within the state of Wisconsin, a significant increase from the 5 in-state offers they had made for the 2026 class and the 9 offers for the 2025 class.

This shift in recruiting strategy comes after the Badgers' head coach, Luke Fickell, has faced criticism for not recruiting enough players from within the state. However, the 2027 class appears to be producing more highly-rated talent from Wisconsin compared to recent years. The state currently has 7 recruits rated as 4-star prospects by Rivals, a notable jump from the 2 in-state 4-star recruits in the 2025 class and the lack of any 4-star in-state players in the 2026 class.

The Badgers are clearly reacting to the increased in-state talent pool for 2027, and it remains to be seen whether this renewed focus on Wisconsin-based players will continue in the coming years or if it is a direct response to the previous criticism of the program's recruiting efforts within the state.