Wisconsin Football flips 3-star defensive tackle from Northwestern

Wisconsin Football got a surprise on Wednesday, as 3-star defensive tackle Dillan Johnson announced via Twitter that he would be flipping his commitment from Northwestern to Wisconsin. The announcement comes two days after the firing of Pat Fitzgerald by the Northwestern football program.

Wisconsin Football flips 3-star defensive tackle Dillan Johnson from Northwestern

The signing of Johnson was unexpected, considering he had been committed to play for Northwestern for almost two months. However, after the recent hazing scandal the Wildcats have on their hands and the firing of Fitzgerald, Johnson has decided to play in Madison instead.

Johnson initially committed to Northwestern on May 15th. Despite the commitment, he officially visited Wisconsin on June 2nd. With his recruitment reopened, the Badgers were able to secure Johnson successfully. According to 247Sports composite rankings, Johnson is the 20th ranked player in Illinois, 95th best at his position, and 948th nationally for the class of 2024.

Position coach Greg Scruggs mainly recruited Johnson. Scruggs also helped the Badgers secure fellow class of 2024 defensive line commit Hank Weber.

Johnson is a multi-sport athlete and might participate in both football and wrestling. Signs point towards Johnson participating in both sports, as he tagged both schools in his commitment tweet.

Johnson will not be the first member of his family to play at the collegiate level. His brother, Eric, played at Missouri State for six seasons due to an extra year of eligibility granted because of the COVID pandemic. The Colts selected Eric Johnson in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Dillan Johnson will add toughness, physicality, and aggressiveness to Wisconsin’s defensive line. Johnson’s physical traits are listed at 6-foot-2 and 287 lbs, and he has the personality on the field to put that size to good use.

Johnson is the latest commitment for Luke Fickell’s Badgers, who have brought excitement to the fan base with their job on the recruiting trail. Following Johnson’s commitment, the Badgers now hold the 17th-ranked recruiting class for 2024, per 247Sports. Fickell’s first whole recruiting class looks great. He already has something to build on for the class of 2025.

Stay tuned for more Wisconsin Football news and analysis.