Top Wisconsin football recruiting target commits to Big Ten foe
Wisconsin football made the final cut, but miss out on 4-star edge Jackson Ford, who committed to Penn State.
It was going to be an uphill battle from the start, but the Wisconsin football team kept itself in the running up until the end for four-star edge prospect Jackson Ford.
Ford, a Pennsylvania native, had an impressive offer list. According to 247Sports, the four-star prospect had 20 offers, including from some of the top programs in the Big Ten, including Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. He released his top four teams earlier this week, which included those three teams and Wisconsin.
The Badgers made a run at him while hosting him on an official visit over the last week of May, along with many of the program’s top targets. While reports suggested the Badgers gained ground during his official visit, it wasn't enough to lure him to Madison.
Today, the Pennsylvania native elected to stay home, committing to Penn State.
Jackson Ford would have been a really nice addition for the Badgers and their 2026 class, but luckily, they have built up a nice group of edge rushers in Madison recently. Landing Nicolas Clayton in the 2025 class and Tyreese Fearbry (Kentucky) in the transfer portal allowed them to take some big swings at players like Ford this cycle. But finding some more depth at the position will still be a need going forward.
Wisconsin has 14 players in its current class with a few more targets still out there, most notably four-star running back Amari Latimer, who is expected to make his decision in the coming weeks.
This commitment underscores the intense competition for top talent, but Wisconsin's efforts on the recruiting trail are far from over.
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