4-star running back Amari Latimer is quickly becoming recognized as one of the best running backs in his recruiting class. Vultures in the SEC and Florida State are aggressively trying to get him to flip his commitment away from Wisconsin, and Luke Fickell and the Badgers are working hard to keep him.
About a week ago, it was reported by Rivals that Tennessee, Florida State, and his home state school, the University of Georgia, are all "pushing" for Latimer. It's becoming quite a fight to keep him as a Badger while Latimer continues to excel in his senior season at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia.
Multiple programs continue to push for Wisconsin 4-star RB commit Amari Latimer, @SWiltfong_ reports👀
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 3, 2025
“It comes down you can only choose one.”
Intel: https://t.co/i0Dq8MIgB1 pic.twitter.com/yVleR1cyZR
Amari Latimer is elite and the recruiting powers are finally learning what Wisconsin has known for months
Related: The celebration that turned Danny O’Neil into ‘Danny Slime’
Luke Fickell needs to do whatever it takes to keep Amari Latimer in the fold. Wisconsin may not be able to compete financially if either of those SEC schools wanted to push their chips all-in, but the Badgers do have an ace up their sleeve in Geimere Latimer, Amari's brother.
The Badgers also have another thing going for them: they were in earlier than these other schools. Hopefully, it's an early-bird gets the worm sort of situation. According to 24/7 Sports' timeline of Latimer's recruitment, the Badgers weren't the first school in, but they were among the first. They were also aggressive to get him from the very beginning.
He's the key piece in the 2026 class and someone that Jeff Grimes and his balanced offense can build around. This is a recruit that Fickell and the other coaches need to keep at the top of the priority list.
There is some concern, though, as he continues to listen and as the schools continue to push. In many ways, Wisconsin is holding on for dear life.