Badgers Kick Off End of Dead Recruiting Period With a Bang

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After a month long dead period where coaches were not allowed contact with recruits, Luke Fickell and the Badgers didn't waste any time. On Friday, they offered top top-20 tight end in the 2026 class Lincoln Watkins.

The Michigan native is the number 20 tight end in the class and the number 6 overall prospect from his home state. The 6'4", 221 pound prospect already has offers from Oregon, Penn State, Miami and a dozen others. The three-star recruit is inching towards a four-star classification and could see his recruitment jump even more.

Watkins will mark the 17th tight end to receive and offer from the Badgers in the 2026 class, though their primary focus still remains on four-star Brock Harris from Utah.

Wisconsin does not yet have a 2026 commitment, but they did earn the commitment of tight end Nizyi Davis in the 2025 class, a three-star recruit out of Indiana.

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