Although the on-field product in Madison hasn't looked much better, it is still hard to deny the positive recruiting push that Luke Fickell and his staff have put into place. Between retaking the state of Wisconsin, landing numerous four-stars from in-house, to branching out and landing some high-profile players from out of state, the Badgers have become well versed in their approach.
One of those aforementioned out-of-state hotbeds that Wisconsin has come across, oddly enough, is Arizona. In fact, one specific school in the Grand Canyon State has been particularly fruitful for Fickell, that school being Desert Edge in Goodyear, Arizona.
NEW: Wisconsin may be back in the mix for Goodyear (Ariz.) Desert Edge 2028 5-star edge Jalanie George.
— Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) September 14, 2026
The Badgers gave it their best shot, along with some familiar faces, during his visit to Madison.
Intel: https://t.co/mAsnnPWT4C pic.twitter.com/0RZgk2Iqag
The Badgers have already landed two three-star recruits in the class of 2027 from that school specifically, and are aiming to punch a bit higher, targeting five-star recruit Jalanie George. As I'm sure you could have guessed, George too attends Desert Edge, and after his visit this past weekend, Wisconsin is rumored to be well in the mix.
What Wisconsin is Working Against
George, being a bit more high profile, will likely be a smidge harder for Wisconsin to land, as with the lack of NFL talent that the Badgers have produced, paired with the underperformance of the program in the Fickell era, on top of a fairly middle-of-the-pack NIL fund, sets Wisconsin back when in pursuit of these kinds of talents.
What that means is that external factors outside of football could be the deciding factor between the Badgers landing, or not landing, players of his caliber. External factors such as having two of his teammates and likely close friends – Yahzeen Zion and Nathan Jones – already committed to the program.
NEW: Wisconsin wasn’t in Jalanie George’s top schools list that dropped over the summer
— Collin Kennedy (@CKennedy247) September 14, 2026
But the Badgers are getting a look, and the elite 2028 edge explains why…#OnWisconsin X #Badgers- https://t.co/bT5ICnN2ai pic.twitter.com/5CAHnFcrYH
Other things like the great city of Madison and the now up-to-date facilities will likely play a role as well when it comes to staying in the mix for a player like him. But at the end of the day, Wisconsin will need to instill faith that if George were to come to this program, he would be in the best spot to better his future.
George is already considered a bit more of an unfinished product, still growing into his body and rounding out his abilities coming off of the edge. That said, he's as highly touted as he is for a reason, meaning that this is a player well worth investing in if the Badgers play their cards right going forward.
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