Earlier in the week, I talked about the battles brewing in the 2020 recruiting class and beyond on the recruiting trail between Nebraska and Iowa. As Nebraska looks to bolster the roster in the trenches and the overall toughness of the team, looking to the border state makes sense.
There is another Big Ten West foe that the Huskers are doing battle with on the trail, especially in the 2020 class. That team is Wisconsin. There are a handful of very important targets that both teams have their sights set on. There is a “big three” in the bunch that could play a big role in future battles on the field between the two schools.
- 4-star defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher
- 4-star outside linebacker Kaden Johnson
- 3-star inside linebacker Malik Reed (Wisconsin commit)
Nebraska hosted Reed, the linebacker from Arizona, for an official visit last weekend. The visit went well and the Huskers were in good position to land a public commitment from him before the tide turned back to Wisconsin. For now, the Badgers have won that battle but the Huskers (among others) will likely keep in contact with the talented defender.
Hutmacher took an official visit to Nebraska the weekend of April 5. He is building a relationship with defensive line coach Tony Tuioti and told Hail Varsity how he’s seen Coach Scott Frost’s program grow in the times he has visited.
“Every time I come here, I see how Coach Frost wants to turn the culture around,” Hutmacher said. “They are getting closer and closer to what he wants to do with everything. It’s great to see everything building up. It’s cool to watch.”
Johnson, the athletic linebacker from Minneapolis, visited Lincoln this spring with a large group along with former NFL star Tyrone Carter. After that visit, he told Hail Varsity that he would like to get back to Lincoln in the fall for an official visit with his family. Last weekend, he took an official visit to Madison where the Badgers made a big impression. There isn’t much indication that Johnson will shut things down early, so Nebraska should get its chance to host him in the fall.
The Huskers are 0-1 so far on the recruiting scoreboard against the Badgers for the 2020 class. Perhaps a summer commitment from one of the remaining uncommitted targets and a win on Nov. 16 will push the Huskers over the hump this cycle. Either way, it is certainly a battle worth watching in the years to come.
Update: A few hours after this went live, Hutmacher elected to move up his timetable from an intended July commitment date and publicly commit to Nebraska. The score of the big three common targets between the two programs is now 1-1.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
