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Andrew Rosin
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What does an offer from Notre Dame do to the chances of Wisconsin landing a versatile prospect from California?
The ship called "recruiting" is in much the same sort of waters as its been in the past couple of weeks. You're looking at a mostly similar sort of contention, but there is still no one else getting on the boat.
While Carmel, Ind., linebacker Noah Burks is off to what seems like the one place that could conceivably change his mind about the Badgers, there have been developments on other Wisconsin targets.
Updates on Damian Alloway, A.J. Taylor
Checking in on the Badger247 podcast interview with four-star Fontana, (Summit) Calif., running back Damian Alloway, who would likely switch positions to wide receiver at Wisconsin, it became clear that unless there was a game-changing offer from a school -- like let's say, Notre Dame -- the Badgers were in a good spot when the season came along. Well, in the immortal words of WWE superstar Wade Barrett, "I'm afraid I've got some bad news."
Blessed and excited to say I've received another offer the The Notre Dame University pic.twitter.com/odYF5oZqZ4
— Damian A1⃣1⃣oway (@dalloway11) May 28, 2015
Not to say that this ends the battle. Not by a long shot, but the game has changed. Where Wisconsin was all set up to be in a battle with Cal and UCLA for Alloway, you can consider all three on the second tier. I mean, anyone who says they're going to say there's no commitment until they visit South Bend isn't going to have you as the favorite.
Four-star Damian Alloway: No commitment until #NotreDame visit http://t.co/FmqbnG20fb pic.twitter.com/GEtqsOlDgT
— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) May 28, 2015
With that, the four-star athlete from Kansas City, (Rockhurst) Mo., A.J. Taylor has always considered Notre Dame to be a favored school, but an unofficial visit came and went without an offer from the Fighting Irish. While Missouri will remain a contender until the commitment announcement and with recent events being the way they are with Alloway, it seems much less likely the Fighting Irish are going to go after Taylor.
There's also an offer out to a running back that the Badgers could be in line to use as a wide receiver in Fort Lauderdale (South Plantation), Fla., three-star prospect Anthony Julmisse. The thing you notice is that his highlight reel reveals his versatility. You can see he has the hands to make plays and the hops to go up and be a threat on 50/50 balls -- and while I claim to be no expert on the goings on in Florida high school athletics, he definitely has quality speed for that level, too.
It's never a bad thing to have a receiver that can turn into a running back when the ball is in his hands. There's a potential for big things to happen.
Talking linebackers
Brayden Stringer, the three-star sleeper of inside linebacker from Cypress (Cypress Ranch), Texas, committed to Texas Tech on Friday. The Red Raiders were always a considered a strong contender, as they were a Power-5 offer that would allow the 6'3, 198-pound Texan to remain in-state.
As for the Badgers, one could assume they had an inkling they might not be getting Stringer when they made the offer to Paddy Fisher. Fisher is one of the three-star trio of Katy, Texas, prospects who received offers on May 22. Fisher is a tailor-made inside linebacker with a Baylor offer to his name and when he gets his hands on you, you 're in trouble.
Sure, it does look like a situation where Fisher will ask to join teammates in safeties Collin Wilder and Travis Whillock, but when you have the Badgers' needs at that safety position, as asks go, it isn't exactly the most strenuous. Wilder is a good athlete who can play centerfield and make sure people stay tackled. Whillock might grow into a linebacker position, but if you look at the Hudl...
...doesn't he seem like he could be the next Michael Caputo real quickly?
Another new offer came out to Quayshon Alexander. The 247Sports four-star prospect from Wayne (DePaul Catholic), N.J., had 17.5 sacks in 2014. Only thing is, Nebraska was leading, and the Huskers getting a visit from Alexander on June 12. That said, if the Badgers look at him at tight end, there might be a chance to get the door open. His Hudl is a lot more offensively based. If not? It's cool. Wisconsin arrived late.
2017 prospects
It's still roughly eight months between now and National Signing Day 2016. So the interested and offered prospect hot board is basically Jake Ferguson, Juan Harris, Josh Lugg and Kayden Lyles. That said, there was news that, at the very least, could turn into implications for the class of 2017.
It's a strategy that's continued from the Gary Andersen era that the Badgers will go after multiple prospects from the same high school for football. With Scottsdale (Saguaro), Ariz., prospect K.J. Jarrell, the Badgers have a teammate of Kayden Lyles offered early. He's got a frame that can add a lot of muscle in the secondary (currently listed at 6'3, 175 pounds), and that's a height that will always make passing perilous for offenses that face him. He currently stands at six offers; five are Pac-12 schools (Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, UCLA and Washington).
For the most part, Paul Chryst quarterback offers go out to the prospects that he's seen throw live. This means for 2017, the first offer might be going out to currently unranked Coffeyville Heritage, Texas, prospect Camden "Cam" Roane. This might seem like a surprise; after all, the Badgers' first quarterback offer of 2017 might be someone previously offerless. If you look at the way Roane plays, you can see that he's a sort of Alex Hornibrook. He's a pocket-passing lefty who can move in the pocket and has a good arm.
His appearance at the camp this weekend might be nothing, but it might be the first of many days in Madison.
Sleeper offer
WR Kendric Pryor
6'1, 175 lbs.
Flossmoor, Ill.
Another Friday offer, Pryor is definitely a prospect the Badgers can win a commit from and there's definitely some value coming if they do. The offer sheet is Iowa and the peak of the MAC, and Iowa is apparently offering him at cornerback. Not to say it's the most ridiculous premise -- he'd be a tall cornerback that has soft hands. That said, he's a real good receiver. He has good speed, fluid athleticism and the concentration that allows him to be fearless when there's trouble afoot.
He's currently unranked, but he's definitely a prospect that could beat a mid-three-star, pre-signing value. And the Badgers are the best offer.
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