Four-star edge rusher Jalanie George commits to Wisconsin, Luke Fickell

MADISON – The Wisconsin football program has moved on to the 2028 class, and the commitments keep coming.

Coach Luke Fickell received a commitment from the one of the top edge rushers in the country Oct. 1 when four-star prospect Jalanie George announced his commitment to the Badgers.

He announced the news live on Rivals Youtube channel then explained the reasons for his choice.

"It was a true connection, a true build." George said during the broadcast. "I really (saw myself) going there, building a network and just changing that place and becoming a difference, really making it a national team. We're coming for it all."

George, who is 6-foot-4½  and 245 pounds attends Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Arizona. It is the same program that produced Badgers junior linebacker Jon Jon Kamara and 2027 commits Yahzeen Zion, a three-star defensive lineman, and Nathan Jones, a three-star linebacker.

George's commitment continues a run of recruiting success for Fickell and his staff in the '27 and '38 cyles.

Jones and Zion's recruiting class ranks 24th in the country by 247sports and 28th by Rivals. George's commitment pushed the Badgers' 2028 class from No. 13 to No. 6 according to 247sports. That site lists him as the No. 66 prospect in the class overall and the 12th-best at his position. Rivals ranks him 30th overall and fifth at his position.

He is the third member of the Badgers' 2028 class. The other two are Brock Barrows, an offensive lineman from Missouri who announced July 28 and Cale Britt, a three-star linebacker from Orlando, who announced July 15.

BREAKING: Four-star 2028 edge rusher Jalanie George commits to Wisconsin over Miami (FL), Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Florida, USC, Indiana, Oregon, and more.

George is the fifth top 25 prospect for the #Badgers in the Rivals Industry era.… pic.twitter.com/xG523WVaze

— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) October 2, 2026

George chose UW over Auburn, Miami and Washington.

The commitment represents a nice comeback for Wisconsin, which was not among the six finalists George announced in May. He received more than 40 offers.

"I feel like it's just a big relief, God's blessing," he said. "I'm going to take it and the school that I commit to I'm going to trust the process and I'm going to move forward and build this relationship. I can't wait to be a Badger."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Four-star edge rusher Jalanie George commits to Wisconsin, Luke Fickell