How the Wisconsin football program is closing the state's borders in recruiting

MADISON – The vultures of the Big Ten are still circling the state. Wisconsin is just better at fending them off.

The Badgers football team scored its eighth in-state recruit for the 2027 recruiting cycle Friday, April 3, when Green Bay Notre Dame running back Kingston Allen announced his commitment.           

That is eight of the top 10 in-state prospects, according to 247sports, or eight of the top 11 per Rivals. And these aren’t leftover talents relegated to be recruited by only the lower rungs of the Big Ten.

We’re talking about players Indiana, Notre Dame, Kansas, Penn State, Michigan, and North Carolina, among others, pursued before Wisconsin got the commitment.

Wisconsin, despite coming off back-to-back losing seasons, still has something to sell high-caliber recruits. The Badger brand still carries weight.

“Not being from the state, it's a little bit unique for me just in terms of how kids growing up wanting to be Badgers still, regardless of whatever their record is,” Sussex Hamilton coach Justin Gumm said April 2. “In general, I think so many kids want to do that.”

Kingston Allen is the 4th four-star recruit in UW's 2027 class

Allen, who is 6-foot and 195 pounds, announced his commitment to the Badgers on X and Instagram. He is the eighth member of the class. All are in-state products.

That equals the number of in-state prep players signed by Wisconsin in the past three recruiting cycles.

The icing on the cake is that as of 8:30 p.m. Friday the Badgers owned the No. 10 class in the nation according to 247sports and the No. 15 class according to Rivals and it was built completely with Wisconsin-bred players.

Those rankings are very fluid and UW might drop as other programs begin filling out their class more. Still, it speaks well for the high school talent in the state.

Blessed to make the commitment to the University of Wisconsin Madison!!!
Staying home🦡🦡🦡#onWisconsin
#RBU@CoachJ_Everett@BuckyRecruiting@BadgerFootballpic.twitter.com/wIsNf92WR0

— Kingston Allen (@KingstonAllen17) April 3, 2026

Why now? There are plenty of theories.

UW’s administration pledged more funds for the recruitment and retention of players last fall. That added support could be making a difference here. Badgers coach Luke Fickell has also altered his recruiting approach to, as he said in December, go with "a higher value of guy, invest in them like you would do in a draft, and then maybe not take as many".

There is also just the law of averages. After losing the No. 1 recruit in the state in 2024, ’25 and ’26, the Badgers' luck wasn’t going to run dry forever.

Allen is the third four-star recruit in this year's class. He is considered the No. 1 player in the class in the state by 247sports and No. 4 by Rivals.

The last time the Badgers scored the state’s No. 1 recruit was 2023 when they signed Milwaukee King running back Nate White.

Korz Loken commitment set tone for the class

This year has been different, and it started Jan. 10 when Iola-Scandinavia tight end Korz Loken committed to the Badgers on national television during halftime of the Navy All-American Bowl.

“It’s home,” he said during the TV interview. “You know when you know. I’m a Badger.”

Since then Badgers have won recruiting battle after recruiting battle.

Catholic Memorial outside linebacker Isaac Miller entertained home visits or school visits from Michigan State, Nebraska and Kentucky before committing last month.

Germantown’s Cole Reiter was fresh off a visit from Penn State when he committed to the Badgers March 22. Indiana was in hot pursuit of Sussex Hamilton twins Hunter and Reece Mallinger before they committed to UW April 1.

Allen didn’t have a who’s who’s of college football on his offer list. He had five offers, according to his feed on X: North Dakota, North Dakota State, Eastern Michigan, Northwestern and UW.

Allen, however, had huge stats.

He posted video game numbers last season. He carried 357 times for a state-record 3,436 yards, a 9.6-yard average. He also scored 57 touchdowns, another single-season state record, to help the Tritons finish 13-1 and reach the WIAA Division 2 final.

Allen announced decision on X. His post said it all.

“Blessed to make the commitment to the University of Wisconsin Madison!! Staying home."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Wisconsin football is closing the state's borders in recruiting