MADISON – The Wisconsin football program battled some of the best programs in the country as June neared its end and came out a winner.
Twice.
In securing commitments from receiver Jayden Petit and running back Amari Latimer, the Badgers added 2 four-star prospects to their 2026 recruiting class. So far 15 players are expected sign come early signing day in December.
Five of those players received a four-star rating from Rivals, 247sports, On3 or ESPN. In addition to Petit and Latimer, quarterback Ryan Hopkins (ESPN, Rivals), tight end Jack Sievers (ESPN) and receiver Zion Legree (Rivals) also were recognized. Petit was a consensus four-star recruit. Latimer received four stars from Rivals, On3 and ESPN.
Here is where UW’s class stands in the rankings.
On3 ranks UW’s class 30th
According On3, the Badgers’ most impactful prospects came on board in June. On3 ranks Petit and Latimer as UW’s top commitments so far followed by safety Zachary Taylor and linebacker Aden Reeder, who commited June 13 and June 12, respectively. Wisconsin’s class is ranked 10th among Big Ten teams.
Rivals puts the Badgers in the mid-30s, in bottom third of Big Ten
Not every site is as impressed as On3. The way Rivals see it, UW is on a run of three straight four-star prospects (Latimer, Petit and Legree). The site has the Badgers at No. 36, 13th among Big Ten teams.
247sports lists Wisconsin in bottom third of Big Ten
247sports has Wisconsin’s class 37th so far and ranks the program 13th out of 18 Big Ten teams. It ranks Petit as UW’s top recruit followed by Taylor. Latimer is tied for third-highest prospect with Sievers, linebacker Aden Reeder and defensive lineman Djidjou Bah.
What Jayden Petit brings to the Badgers
At 6-foot-4 and 202 pounds, Petit will bring an imposing physical presence to the receiver room. He averaged 15.5 yards per catch and finished his junior season with 50 catches, 777 yards and 12 touchdowns. He chose UW after making visits to UW, UCLA, Miami and North Carolina.
Why Wisonsin? The chance to play the chance to play in the Big Ten and play teams like the 2026 opener versus Notre Dame was key. So were his career aspirations.
“Academics was a big thing for me,” Petit told the Naples Daily News. “I want to go into commercial real estate after football and Wisconsin is ranked No. 1 in the nation.”
What Amari Latimer brings to Wisconsin
Latimer, whose brother Geimere transferred to UW from Jacksonville State in December, is a physical runner who gained 1,113 yards, averaged 8.2 yards per carry and scored 19 touchdowns as a junior at Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia. He also caught 27 passes for 363 yards and four touchdowns.
His commitment to UW came at the expense of Big Ten rival Michigan and South Carolina, a program on the rise in the SEC. Georgia Tech was also in the mix at the end.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Where Wisconsin football’s 2026 class ranks after commitments of two latest 4-star prospects
Reporting by Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
