Wisconsin had a great start to the day in the 2026 recruiting class, adding 4-star offensive lineman Brady Bekkenhuis. It ended on a sour note as the Badgers lost their best commit, 4-star WR Jayden Petit. It was a move that was expected as he's been rumored to flip for weeks now, but it finally came and it's a tough pill to swallow.
Petit said he's been doing a great deal of thinking and praying about this decision, and he wants to do what he believes "is about following the path I believe God is leading me toward." He was very complimentary of Wisconsin and the coaching staff and said nothing negative about this process.
Petit said, "This was not an easy choice. I want to personally thank Coach Fickell, Coach Reid, Coach Grimes, Zach Zilm, Ethan Russo, and Pat Lambert for believing in me, investing in me, and taking the time to build a genuine relationship throughout this process. Every conversation, every visit, and every moment spent learning about Wisconsin meant a great deal to me and my family."
Jayden Petit has opened up his recruitment and the team to watch is Oklahoma
The news doesn't come as a shock to Wisconsin fans who have been following his recruiting path. After he committed to Wisconsin, his stock rose immensely. Primarily due to his strong high school play, he became one of the top players in the state of Florida and an all-time record holder in receiving yards, specifically in his region of the state.
Oklahoma, Washington, and even some of his local universities, like Florida State and Florida, came calling quickly. The favorite to land his services, according to 24/7, is the Sooners. Right now, Jon McNamara has predicted him landing at Oklahoma with a "medium" confidence level.
Rivals experts also agree with McNamara that he will go to Oklahoma, but don't count out some of the other schools pushing hard to get him to come.
For the Badgers, it's another blow to the 2026 recruiting class as Petit was Luke Fickell's top commit in the class. He's now the fifth commit to leave and either flip or open up their recruitment. It's a tough blow, and the class is now down to only one wide receiver, Zion Legree.
Fickell was already going to be forced to lean hard on the transfer portal, but as the 2026 recruiting class continues to fall apart, it becomes even more necessary.