If you thought the 2026 recruiting class was closed, you'd be wrong. We would all be wrong. Luke Fickell added one more to the class today by way of a JUCO college. The No. 1-rated JUCO running back Julius Pope has committed to Wisconsin, adding to an already deep running back room. Pope is a former 4-star recruit.
The pickup is fantastic as Pope still has three years left to play college football and looks to have some real juice as a running back. But it comes so late in the cycle, after spring practices, and at a position that already seems to be extremely deep. That competition just got elevated tremendously, and it was already full.
BREAKING: Top JUCO RB JULIUS POPE has committed to Wisconsin, per Chris Hummer and @AthleteAsset #BADGERS pic.twitter.com/yV6k8nWluE
— Nick Osen (@TheRealNickOsen) May 1, 2026
Wisconsin adds top-rated JUCO RB Julius Pope to the 2026 recruiting class
Related: Luke Fickell continues to stack up talent for 2027 with another massive DL commit
The Badgers picked up three running backs in the transfer portal: Bryan Jackson from USC, Nate Palmer from TCU, and Abu Sama III from Iowa State. This is now their fourth incoming running back to go along with those three, but also the three scholarship running backs already on the roster. Those would be Darrion Dupree, Qwantavius "Fatboy" Wiggins, and Gideon Ituka.
If you had to predict a positional player that would be added to the 2026 class, running back may have been one of your last guesses, and yet Fickell added another talented runner to the room.
Pope played for Northwest Mississippi Community College last season but began his career at Arkansas as a 4-star recruit. He actually was one of the top linebackers in the country as a high school player, but needed a community college reset for whatever reason.
Now he's headed to Madison, not as a linebacker but as a running back, and Wisconsin was able to grab him over Kentucky (and others) who were also trying to get him in the 2026 class. It will be an interesting add but one that does bring more value and competition to a deep position.
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