Luke Fickell is already feeling the pressure, and as his last graduating class sent zero players through the NFL Draft, the pressure is mounting. The NFL is still full of Badgers, but it's not from Fickell, and this week was another reminder of both what used to be and what isn't currently. However, it's also a reminder of what can be if things get fixed.
Former Badgers swept the NFL Week 1 defensive awards, with TJ Watt winning the AFC Defensive Player of the Week and Zack Baun winning the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Both put on impressive showings, and Wisconsin fans aren't missing the narrative.
As Wisconsin is working to recruit a 5-star Jalanie George, his latest comments showcase that Luke Fickell does have a chance to revive what Watt and Baun are showcasing in the NFL.
The LBU legacy continues in the NFL 🔥@zackbizzaun and @_TJWatt each earn Defensive Player of the Week honors for their respective conferences! #OnWisconsin x #MadeInMadison pic.twitter.com/rzwSW63OfF
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) September 17, 2026
The incredible performances of TJ Watt and Zack Baun
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Before we get into the discussion about how Luke Fickell fixes the lack of NFL culture, let's have a quick breakdown of what Watt and Baun did to deserve the NFL honors they received in week one.
Watt was amazing, with the highlight being a pick-six where he simply jumped up and snatched the ball above his blocker. He capped his performance off with two sacks and four tackles.
Baun was also electric, recording 12 total tackles and two pass breakups. He was simply a wrecking ball for the Eagles, and his play was a big reason Philadelphia beat the Washington Redskins 24-22.
How does Luke Fickell restore the culture that produces top NFL players year-after-year?
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How does Fickell fix the mess? Well, producing NFL talent comes from two different places. The first is recruiting better players, and the second is developing players. Wisconsin under Fickell has really done neither of those well. Some programs do one well but not the other, but the programs that do both are consistently putting players into the league year after year.
Fickell's latest recruiting efforts have shown a drastic improvement in one of those categories. Wisconsin is sitting on a top-25 recruiting class right now for 2027 and is still in pursuit of a 5-star player.
Jalanie George's recent comments about paying attention to the edges during the Western Illinois game give hope for something happening on the development side again, too. "And man, oh my God, Sebastian Cheeks, that man. I had my eyes on him all game, and I can’t lie, like, whatever Coach Mitch is doing is working, because he was always back there, like creating pressure."
George may not end up coming to Madison, but the comments and the concept that Wisconsin is high on his list are the perfect combination of how Fickell fixes this. He needs to both recruit better and develop better. If a 5-star recruit is on campus and he's noticing the development of his position group, it's an indication that maybe Fickell is already in the process of fixing this.
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