After his first full offseason as head coach at Wisconsin, Paul Chryst introduced his 2016 recruiting class Wednesday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers welcomed 31 recruits on National Signing Day, 25 of whom will have scholarships. As expected, and contrary to many other programs, UW’s signing day was drama-free.
“I think each year when you look back recruiting changes or maybe evolves, but you really don’t get concerned or focused on what other people are doing,” Chryst said. “You go out and you identify prospects and then you find which ones you think are [a] good fit for our program, and whether they’re highly recruited, we don’t mind recruiting against anyone and whether they’re not highly recruited and no one is on them, we don’t mind that.”
Chryst remarked that signing day has become a frenzy in recent years because of the proliferation of social media that has publicized recruits’ every move, but the pulled offers and rescinded commitments that have dominated modern college football are nothing new.
“What’s changed is more people understanding and hearing more, because of social media, of all the things that go on with recruiting, but there’s been recruiting battles for a long time and a lot of people do a lot of different things in recruiting,” Chryst said.
The recruiting process for the Wisconsin coaching staff went smoothly, with the obvious exception of new defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, who was hired just last week. Wilcox hasn’t had much of an opportunity to develop relationships with the defensive players, let alone the fresh recruits, but he trusts the incoming crop of players will fit well within his system.
“The guys here have done such a fantastic job identifying the right guys for the program, the right guys for the university, for the scheme,” Wilcox said. “For me it was just really—get in and I had the one home visit and I was able to talk to the guys that were committed and we had great conversations.”
The player Wilcox referred to is Garrett Rand, a highly touted 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive lineman from Chandler, Ariz. who Wilcox recently paid an at-home visit. Rand’s October commitment to Wisconsin was in question after defensive coordinator Dave Aranda left for the same position at LSU Jan. 1, but Chryst never felt Rand would back out.
“Garrett talked a little about it, but other than that there wasn’t a lot of questions about who is going to be the defensive coordinator,” Chryst said. “We told them early and this is what I was looking to do and kinda stay within the 3-4.”
Perhaps the most surprising development in Wisconsin’s 2016 recruiting class was the fact it brought in just one quarterback—early enrollee Kare’ Lyles—despite losing Joel Stave to graduation and D.J. Gillins’ transfer. That leaves just redshirt junior Bart Houston, freshman Alex Hornibrook and Lyles as the only scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Chryst, unsurprisingly, isn’t too worried.
“If they’re the right ones, it’s the right number,” Chryst said. “I think that it’s—I feel comfortable with it. Yet I think that we would like to take on a year. There has been a gap and with D.J. transferring and that was a little bit different scenario, really, since last year, there are two quarterbacks no longer with us, but they also were recruited to a different style.”
Chryst declined to rule out the possibility of Lyles earning the starting role, but he also admitted he has yet to “be on the field with him yet with the ball in his hand,” so he’s far from making any initial predictions about the quarterback question.
Overall, Chryst seemed relieved to be finished with the recruiting season and is content with how the 2016 Badgers are shaping up headed into spring practices.
“I really do like this group that we’ve signed today, and I think it’s a great fit and I think it’s made up of tremendous people,” Chryst said. “The kids and it’s a fun, good group of parents. How you get there, that’s the enjoyable part and it’s the journey to it for these kids and for us going through the process.”
| Name | Pos | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown |
| Luke Benzschawel | TE | 6-7 | 255 | Grafton, Wis. |
| Tyler Biadasz | OL | 6-4 | 270 | Amherst, Wis. |
| Sam Brodner | RB | 5-10 | 210 | Glen, Ellyn, Ill. |
| Noah Burks | OLB | 6-3 | 221 | Carmel, Ind. |
| Eric Burrell | S | 6-0 | 180 | Severn, Md. |
| Dontye Carriere-Williams | CB | 5-10 | 176 | Hallandale Beach, Fla. |
| Quintez Cephus | WR | 6-2 | 190 | Macon, Ga. |
| Seth Currens | S | 6-3 | 205 | Pickerington, Ohio |
| Griffin Grady | OLB | 6-2 | 205 | Dublin, Ohio |
| Deron Harrell | DB | 6-3 | 175 | Denver, Colo. |
| Jake Hescock | TE | 6-7 | 240 | Pittsfield, Mass. |
| Dallas Jeanty | ILB | 6-1 | 235 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
| Patrick Johnson | S | 6-1 | 185 | Washington, D.C. |
| Patrick Kasl | OL | 6-6 | 280 | Wyoming, Minn. |
| Anthony Lotti | P | 6-1 | 190 | Flowery Branch, Ga. |
| Isaiahh Loudermilk | DL | 6-7 | 270 | Howard, Kan. |
| Kare' Lyles | QB | 6-2 | 210 | Scottsdale, Ariz. |
| Ke'shan Pennamon | CB | 5-11 | 182 | Callahan, Fla. |
| Keldric Preston | DE | 6-4 | 245 | Tampa, Fla. |
| Kendric Pryor | WR/CB | 6-1 | 170 | Hazel Crest, Ill. |
| Garrett Rand | DL | 6-2 | 280 | Chandler, Ariz |
| Mason Stokke | OLB | 6-3 | 205 | Menomonie, Wis. |
| AJ Taylor | WR | 6-0 | 190 | Kansas City, Mo. |
| Cole Van Lanen | OL | 6-5 | 280 | Green Bay, Wis. |
| Caesar Williams | CB | 6-1 | 175 | Grand Prairie, Texas |
| Jack Dunn | ATH | 5-7 | 160 | Madison, Wis. |
| Mike Maskalunas | ILB | 6-3 | 215 | Long Grove, Ill. |
| Aaron Maternowski | FB | 6-1 | 250 | Slinger, Wis. |
| Jack Popp | WR | 6-3 | 195 | Mequon, Wis. |
| Hegeman Tiedt | DL | 6-4 | 225 | Burlington, Wis. |
| Cristian Volpentesta | DB | 5-9 | 185 | Highland Park, Ill. |
