Recruiting classes always seem to have a ringleader, one who is hyping up other recruits to join the fold and commit. For the Wisconsin Badgers, it was 3-star wide receiver Tayshon Bardo. A big play threat and part of a group of three elite receivers set to join Wisconsin next season. However, after watching the Badgers fall on there face for another week, he's decided to decommit and test the waters elsewhere.
Elkhart (Ind.) WR Tayshon Bardo has decommitted from Wisconsin.
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) October 13, 2025
A Michigan State official is planned.
(VIP) https://t.co/VoS4MxE0wr pic.twitter.com/hfmahMWsI0
WR Tayshon Bardo has decided to decommit from Wisconsin and may be the first of many
Related: Latest offensive rankings show just how bad the Wisconsin offense is this season
Bardo is the first to decide the Badgers have a sinking ship, and he wants off. There will be more to follow, as Bardo was a big reason others decided to commit to Wisconsin. It's hard to see that those who jumped in with him won't now also look at other places.
He was an active part, or at least a public part, of recruiting 4-star Amari Latimer and 4-star Jayden Petit. It wouldn't be surprising to see either also follow suit and look to other more successful programs. Latimer is already publicly shopping around as he's visited Ohio State and Georgia Tech recently.
It may not matter ultimately for the Badgers if they do what needs to be done and fire head coach Luke Fickell. That would send the whole class looking elsewhere, but a new coach would be able to bring in their own recruits and players to rebuild what has been lost under Fickell.
Bardo may be the first, but he won't be the last. According to Greg Smith from Rivals, Bardo said he is decommitting now because he doesn't want to miss out on any other life-changing possibilities that are out there for him and his family. But Smith goes on to point out that Wisconsin football is a train wreck this season.