Badger of Honor
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Evaluating Wisconsin Football’s new moves in the 2020 class

By Sam Land

EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Bagers waits with his team to enter the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 5, 2016 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, IL - NOVEMBER 05: Head coach Paul Chryst of the Wisconsin Bagers waits with his team to enter the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 5, 2016 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Wisconsin Football - Defense
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Secondary

Safety – Craig McDonald

Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, MN) safety Craig McDonald was offered by Wisconsin on December 3. The 3-star prospect ranks as the No. 35 safety and No. 703 overall player in the 2020 class.

The Badgers join Big Ten rivals Minnesota, Iowa, and Purdue, along with Iowa State, on McDonald’s offer list. With a thick 6’2, 190-pound frame, McDonald looks like a candidate to play strong safety for Wisconsin.

This would be a nice victory for the Badgers on the recruiting trail, both because it would mean they beat out some of their fiercest rivals in doing so, and because McDonald is a teammate of one of Wisconsin’s top overall targets in 2020 in 4-star linebacker Kaden Johnson.

Safety – Brian Branch

Sandy Creek (Tyrone, GA) safety Brian Branch announced his offer from the Badgers on December 6. He is currently ranked as the No. 24 safety and No. 421 overall player.

The rest of the schools on Branch’s offer list include Ohio State, Kentucky, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Georgia State, Indiana, Louisville, and South Carolina.

I wouldn’t get your hopes up with this one, Badger fans. Any time Wisconsin is going up against Ohio State for a prospect, that’s a battle the Badgers are going to lose nine times out of ten, especially for a defensive player, and even more so for defensive backs. The Buckeyes routinely compete for championships and seemingly send defensive backs to the NFL every single year, and that’s obviously not lost on recruits. Perhaps if new head coach Ryan Day and company land another safety or two that may be higher on their board, then perhaps the Badgers could swoop in and pick up Branch.