Touted Wisconsin DL Yahzeen Zion sends passionate, unmistakable message to fans

The Wisconsin Badgers have a commit who was flying under the radar until this most recent year of high school football. He's a basketball player who decided to try out for football, and he immediately impressed off the edge and along the interior defensive line. Then offers started rolling in, and Wisconsin was one of them.

Luke Fickell was able to get Zion to commit during his official visit, but then Zion decided to also check out LSU. That visit only clarified his desire to be a Badger, not weakened it, and he recently posted on social media that seemed to silence the rumors of a flip. Now, he's got another message for Badger fans: "They're getting that guy. I'm not trying to sound cocky, but they're getting that guy when I go to Wisconsin."

4-star Yahzeen Zion calls his own shot and says he's "that guy" for Wisconsin

Related: Luke Fickell may have no choice but to play these 3 dynamic freshmen in 2026

The reality is, from everything that's been said about Zion, he may be right about himself. He's a guy who went from unrated to 3-star quickly, and now some recruiting sites are already putting him down as a 4-star. Rivals and ESPN both have him as a 4-star, and Rivals even has him as the No. 31 player at his position. 24/7 Sports is still catching up, though he is considered a high 3-star.

The problem with Zion is that he's late to the jump on football, so most of his ability in high school has been due to raw determination and athleticism. He's also 6'4 and 265 pounds, which makes him a force due to size. He will need to develop some of his pass-rushing skills at the next level, but it's a position that is mostly built on explosion and fierce determination.

Though some projections have him more on the inside than the outside in college. If he's going to play interior defensive line, he will need a few more pounds, as Fickell likes his DL around 300 pounds. It will be interesting to see how Wisconsin uses him, whether he's more inside or outside on the edge.

Zion's high school coach had a quote that may top Zion's above when he said, "The most talented interior defensive lineman I've ever seen at the high school level in Arizona." That's high praise and a quote that should excite Badger fans. Though

The Badgers will still need to develop Zion as he continues to learn the ropes of being a talented defensive lineman and maybe even help him put on the weight he needs to play inside (if that's the choice). If he plays on the outside, the Badgers know a thing or two about producing edge rushers and will get him ready to go.

All in all, it doesn't sound cocky, Zion. We need "that guy," and Badger fans will love it if you show everyone at Camp Randall that you are "that guy."

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow