'The Missing Piece:' How Wisconsin's 2027 Commits are Using a Social Media Campaign to Recruit the State's Best

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

'The Missing Piece:' How Wisconsin's 2027 Commits are Using a Social Media Campaign to Recruit the State's Best
Wisconsin Badgers football helmet
Sep 9, 2023; Pullman, Washington, USA; Wisconsin Badgers helmet sits during a game against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images

In the modern landscape of college basketball, the best recruiters aren't always coaches or a program's recruiting department; sometimes, it's the players.

For the Wisconsin Badgers' 2027 class, the peer-to-peer recruiting trail is already heating up, led by vocal commits like Korz Loken, Ethan McIntosh, and Isaac Miller.

Each of the aforementioned players took to social media to recruit fellow 2027 prospects, calling them a 'missing piece.' The players are posting a graphic of a puzzle depicting the four in-state players currently committed to Wisconsin with a missing puzzle piece between them. Off to the side is the missing piece with a picture of the player they are recruiting to join them in Madison.

Loken, a four-star tight end out of Iola-Scandinavia, was the second 2027 prospect to commit to the Badgers. Since his commitment, the Badgers have been heating up on the recruiting trail, picking up two more in-state prospects: safety Dustin Roach and edge Isaac Miller, teammates out of Catholic Memorial, a powerhouse program in Wisconsin.

Loken is a big part of that. Since his commitment, he has been a consistent presence on social media, specifically targeting the state's elite talent, which boasts multiple four-star prospects, including Cole Reiter, a four-star offensive lineman out of Germantown who is among the top uncommitted players in the state.

This proactive approach isn't limited to Loken. Offensive tackle Ethan McIntosh was the Badgers' first commitment in the class, went to work targeting the Mallinger twins, Hunter and Reece, out of Sussex Hamilton.

Meanwhile, the Badgers' most recent commit, edge rusher Isaac Miller, is looking across the border to Minnesota, urging standout linebacker Blake Betton to "come home" and join the fold.

By leveraging their reach on social platforms, these young athletes are creating a snowball effect for Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program.

In an era of NIL and the transfer portal, this organic, athlete-driven recruiting is a powerful tool for keeping Wisconsin's best talent at home and ensuring that the next generation of Badgers is bonded long before they ever step onto the turf.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as 'The Missing Piece:' How Wisconsin's 2027 Commits are Using a Social Media Campaign to Recruit the State's Best.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos