Wisconsin and Luke Fickell among finalists for touted 4-star pass-rusher

The Wisconsin Badgers are hoping to make an early splash for the 2026 recruiting class and there's a big-time prospect who could end up making his way to Madison in the future. On Jan. 15, Kansas product Hunter Higgins is all set to shut down his recruitment.

Higgins has picked up 17 offers throughout his recruitment. He's also ranked four stars and the No. 32 EDGE in the country according to the 247Sports Composite. Despite plenty of powerhouses wanting him, Higgins has trimmed things down to a Final 4 - and Wisconsin has made his cut:

4-star EDGE Hunter Higgins has Wisconsin in his Final 4 and a decision is coming soon

Interestingly enough, 247's Ryan Wallace put in a prediction for the Badgers to land Higgins for the '26 cycle. It's not going to be easy for Luke Fickell and his staff, though, as hometown Kansas, Michigan and Nebraska are also still in the running.

Higgins is a top talent, giving opposing offensive linemen fits this past season at the high school level. Checking in at 6-5, 240 pounds, he already has great size for his age, but he's only going to get bigger and stronger once he gets to college.

For the 2025 class, Fickell was able to bring in a star-studded group, highlighted by defensive lineman Jaylen Williams and quarterback Carter Smith. While there's plenty of focus on the transfer portal and bringing in a new quarterback, potentially San Diego State transfer Danny O'Neil, the Badgers aren't losing sight of high school juniors.

In about a month, we'll find out if Higgins will end up being Wisconsin-bound or not. If Fickell is able to win this battle over Nebraska, Kansas and Michigan, it will give him loads of confidence as he gets ready to fill out the rest of the class. Let's see if Higgins ends up making Fickell happy when announcement day gets here.