The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Wisconsin using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Wisconsin set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#17 (tie). Kobe Russell (CB)
- National rank: #2,172 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #193
- College: North Dakota State
- Offers: North Dakota State, Northwestern, Central Michigan, Fresno State, Kent State
- High school: Prescott (Prescott, WI)
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2 / 20#17 (tie). Michael Farr (ATH)
- National rank: #2,172 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #172
- College: South Dakota State
- Offers: South Dakota State, Air Force, Central Michigan, Lindenwood, North Dakota
- High school: Case (Racine, WI)
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3 / 20#17 (tie). Ryan Westrich (DL)
- National rank: #2,172 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #223
- College: Western Michigan
- Offers: Western Michigan, Air Force, Army, Central Michigan, New Mexico
- High school: Bonduel (Bonduel, WI)
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4 / 20#17 (tie). Tyler Heinle (LB)
- National rank: #2,172 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #182
- College: not committed
- Offers: Michigan State
- High school: Grafton (Grafton, WI)
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5 / 20#16. Brandon Walton (ATH)
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6 / 20#15. George Rohl (TE)
- National rank: #2,032 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #112
- College: Minnesota
- Offers: Minnesota, North Dakota, Northern Iowa
- High school: Ellsworth (Ellsworth, WI)
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7 / 20#14. Dominick Walters (S)
- National rank: #1,849 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #167
- College: South Dakota State
- Offers: South Dakota State, Cornell, Eastern Michigan, Marshall, Northern Iowa
- High school: Franklin (Franklin, WI)
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8 / 20#13. Harper Hughes (WR)
- National rank: #1,775 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #256
- College: Western Michigan
- Offers: Air Force, Army, Cornell, Eastern Michigan
- High school: Arrowhead (Hartland, WI)
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9 / 20#12. Jack Murray (LB)
- National rank: #1,697 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #145
- College: Northern Illinois
- Offers: Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Lindenwood
- High school: Brookfield East (Brookfield, WI)
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10 / 20#10 (tie). Wyatt Graffin (IOL)
- National rank: #1,447 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #115
- College: Central Michigan
- Offers: Central Michigan, Minnesota State University Moorhead, North Dakota State, Winona State
- High school: Columbus (Columbus, WI)
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11 / 20#10 (tie). Hunter Sprangers (OT)
- National rank: #1,447 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #126
- College: Kent State
- Offers: Kent State, Arkansas State, Indiana State
- High school: Kimberly (Kimberly, WI)
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12 / 20#9. Beckett Schreiber (OT)
- National rank: #1,409 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #124
- College: Minnesota
- Offers: Minnesota, Indiana, Washington State
- High school: Madison Memorial (Madison, WI)
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13 / 20#8. Kenton Mondeau (OT)
- National rank: #1,276 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #110
- College: Indiana
- Offers: Indiana, Air Force, Central Michigan, Iowa State, Northern Illinois
- High school: Eau Claire North (Eau Claire, WI)
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14 / 20#7. Tucker Thieneman (OT)
- National rank: #1,252 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #106
- College: North Dakota State
- Offers: North Dakota State, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Ole Miss
- High school: Pewaukee (Pewaukee, WI)
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15 / 20#6. Ben Wenzel (LB)
- National rank: #1,186 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #95
- College: Wisconsin
- Offers: Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Army, Buffalo, Central Michigan
- High school: Appleton North (Appleton, WI)
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16 / 20#5. James Thomas (IOL)
- National rank: #1,013 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #82
- College: not committed
- Offers: Arkansas, Auburn, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota
- High school: Oak Creek (Oak Creek, WI)
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17 / 20#4. Brody Schaffer (WR)
- National rank: #848 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #116
- College: Iowa
- Offers: Iowa, Wisconsin, Cornell, Lindenwood, North Dakota State
- High school: Winneconne (Winneconne, WI)
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18 / 20#3. Samuel Simpson (IOL)
- National rank: #815 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #64
- College: Indiana
- Offers: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas
- High school: River Falls (River Falls, WI)
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19 / 20#2. Lamont Hamilton (ATH)
- National rank: #810 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #62
- College: Minnesota
- Offers: Minnesota, Illinois State, Kent State, Northern Iowa, Western Illinois
- High school: St. Catherine's (Racine, WI)
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