Wisconsin football's class of 2027 is ranked top-15 in the nation, according to 247 Sports, and in-state talent is a driving force behind that standing.
Sussex Hamilton twins Hunter and Reece Mallinger (3-star recruits), along with Germantown's Cole Reiter (4-star recruit), headline a group of offensive linemen committed to the Badgers.
"Wisconsin is known for producing offensive linemen. So being a part of that is something special," Reece Mallinger said.
The Badgers' coaching staff showed early confidence in this group.
Watch: Sussex Hamilton's Mallinger twins and Germantown's Cole Reiter choose Wisconsin
"I feel like I was one of the first 27s that they offered, and I mean, them showing that they really had confidence in me- I feel like it just showed. I was always gonna believe in the first program that really believed in me, so I thought that was awesome," Cole Reiter said.
Wisconsin now has 8 in-state commits in the class of 2027 — a priority for head coach Luke Fickell.
"There is a confidence level in the things that we are doing. Sometimes it is hard to see because it always comes down to wins, but guys that are inside the program, guys that come to the program, they do see something that is growing," Fickell said.
All three players said they appreciated Fickell's transparency during the recruiting process.
"He admitted that the program wasn't where it needed to be the past few years, and he was willing to make changes to better the program," Hunter Mallinger said.
Four-star tight end Korz Loken and 4-star running back Kingston Allen add even more in-state firepower to the class. Reiter said the familiarity among commits makes the transition feel even more exciting.
"I feel like this whole class is so tight-knit. Five of us are playing in the same football conference. I mean, I just feel like it's really cool going into a new place and a new opportunity with people that you know and people that you can lean on," Reiter said.
"There's a lot of hype going around our class right now, and it's just something special. I mean, it's fun to be a part of it," Hunter Mallinger said.
Reiter said he believes the program is on the right trajectory.
"I feel like Wisconsin is building something really good here," Reiter said.
Reece Mallinger summed up the commitment.
"We're Badgers for life," Reece Mallinger said.
The 2027 class is not the only thing generating momentum. As Fickell enters year four, Wisconsin has reloaded through the transfer portal, adding more than 30 new players. Old Dominion transfer quarterback Colton Joseph is expected to lead the offense, along with a deep running back room featuring Iowa State transfer Abu Sama.
Wisconsin opens the season against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
