Ben Kenney
June 24, 2024 7:10 am CT
Wisconsin added yet another commitment to its class of 2025 this weekend, this from three-star edge rusher Nicolas Clayton.
Clayton chose the Badgers over Florida State, Nebraska and others. He became Wisconsin’s 21st commitment in the class, and helped improve the group to No. 12 in 247Sports’ national rankings.
Related: Ranking all 18 Big Ten coaching staffs entering the 2024 football season
The evaluation of recruiting classes is often complicated and context-dependent. Sometimes a class is more impressive than its national ranking insinuates, and sometimes a buoyed ranking is more due more to the volume of recruits rather than to their quality.
That dichotomy is seen in Wisconsin’s classes of 2024 and 2025.
The Badgers’ class of 2024 finished ranked No. 23 in 247Sports’ composite ranking. But the group boasted 11 blue-chip players and an average player rating of 89.33
The program’s class of 2025 again ranks No. 12 in the nation, but does so with only five blue-chip players and an average player rating of 88.08.
One natural conclusion from the available information: Wisconsin’s class of 2024 is a more impressive class from top to bottom, despite a lower national ranking. Its 2025 cycle is certainly a success so far, but the output may not be the near-top-10 class that national rankings currently show.
All evaluators and fans should agree that Luke Fickell has delivered on the sky-high hype surrounding his recruiting prowess. This is not to take anything away from his recruiting performance, as these two recruiting cycles are clear successes and should help the team raise its performance on the field in the years to come.
But despite the current No. 12 national ranking, there should not be a discussion about Wisconsin’s class of 2025 being better than its 2024 group. Instead, it should focus on how there are currently only a few classes with more commitments than Wisconsin’s at the moment.
Here is a look at where Wisconsin falls among programs with the most players committed to their class of 2025:
T-11: Boston College (17 commits)
The Boston College football team took the field before the second annual Wasabi Fenway Bowl vs. SMU at Fenway Park on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. Jason Snow / The Patriot Ledger-USA TODAY NETWORK
National Ranking: No. 35
Blue-Chip Players:0
Average Player Rating:85.75
Total Points:169.54
T-11: West Virginia (17 commits)
Oct. 28, 2023; Orlando, Florida; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown talks to Field Judge Matthew Mills during the second quarter against the UCF Knights at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 23
Blue-Chip Players:1
Average Player Rating:86.64
Total Points:189.90
T-11: Stanford (17 commits)
Oct. 21, 2023; Stanford, California; Stanford Cardinal head coach Troy Taylor stands on the sideline during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Stanford Stadium. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 21
Blue-Chip Players:1
Average Player Rating:86.81
Total Points:192.25
T-11: Penn State (17 commits)
Dec. 30, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin on the sidelines against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 10
Blue-Chip Players:9
Average Player Rating:89.67
Total Points:227.59
Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions onNittany Lions Wire
T-11: Ohio State (17 commits)
Ryan Day head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts to a penalty during the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 28, 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin. John Fisher/Getty Images
National Ranking: No. 1
Blue-Chip Players:15 (3 five-stars)
Average Player Rating:94.37
Total Points:288.11
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions onBuckeyes Wire
T-8: Georgia Tech (18 commits)
Dec. 6, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head football coach Brent Key talks with former MLB player Mark Teixeira at halftime of a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at McCamish Pavilion. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 15
Blue-Chip Players:2
Average Player Rating:86.96
Total Points:199.37
T-8: TCU (18 commits)
Nov. 18, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Baylor Bears at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 13
Blue-Chip Players:4
Average Player Rating:88.18
Total Points:213.99
T-8: Alabama (18 commits)
April 9, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer coaches his team during practice in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility at the University of Alabama. Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News-USA TODAY NETWORK
National Ranking: No. 2
Blue-Chip Players:14 (1 five-star)
Average Player Rating:93.01
Total Points:268.36
Get more (Alabama) news, analysis and opinions onRoll Tide Wire
7: Arizona State (19 commits)
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham reacts to a play during the fourth quarter against Arizona at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Dec. 13, 2023. Michael Chow/The Republic-USA TODAY NETWORK
National Ranking: No. 17
Blue-Chip Players:2
Average Player Rating:86.86
Total Points:197.54
T-4: Duke (21 commits)
Dec. 9, 2023; Durham, North Carolina; Duke Blue Devils new head football coach Manny Diaz is introduced to the crowd during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 20
Blue-Chip Players:1
Average Player Rating:86.20
Total Points:193.60
Get more (Alabama) news, analysis and opinions on Duke Wire
T-4: Notre Dame (21 commits)
Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman celebrates at the 90th annual Sun Bowl game against Oregon State on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, at El Paso, Texas. GABY VELASQUEZ/ EL PASO TIMES-USA TODAY NETWORK
National Ranking: No. 3
Blue-Chip Players:12
Average Player Rating:91.01
Total Points:264.56
Get more (Notre Dame) news, analysis and opinions onFighting Irish Wire
T-4: Wisconsin (21 commits)
Oct. 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell during the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 12
Blue-Chip Players:5
Average Player Rating:88.08
Total Points:217.45
3: Minnesota (22 commits)
Oct. 21, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck watches a replay against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 24
Blue-Chip Players:2
Average Player Rating:86.56
Total Points:189.82
2: Syracuse (24 commits)
Dec. 21, 2023; Boca Raton, Florida; Syracuse Orange quarterback Braden Davis (10) looks to pass the ball against the South Florida Bulls in the second quarter during the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 16
Blue-Chip Players:1
Average Player Rating:86.30
Total Points:198.34
1: Rutgers (27 commits)
Sept. 3, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at SHI Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
National Ranking: No. 11
Blue-Chip Players:5
Average Player Rating:87.59
Total Points:224.87
Get more (Rutgers) news, analysis and opinions onRutgers Wire
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