The University of Wisconsin football program is in the running to sign four-star interior offensive lineman Hardy Watts for the class of 2025. 247Sports’ Crystal Ball projections on Saturday recorded five last-minute predictions that he will choose the Badgers.
These predictions come from 247Sports’ Wisconsin insiders Evan Flood and Nick Osen, Michigan insiders Steve Lorentz and Sam Webb, and national analyst Brian Dorn. These predictions were posted on Monday, July 1, just two days before Watts is scheduled to announce his commitment to either Wisconsin, Michigan or Clemson.
Related: Wisconsin football’s top remaining targets for the 2025 recruiting cycle
The big last-minute change in the top lineman’s recruitment came after just about every source in recent days had projected Michigan to be his destination.
Watts is currently ranked by 247Sports as the No. 218 player in the 2025 class, the No. 12 interior offensive lineman and the No. 1 recruit out of Massachusetts.
The fact that Wisconsin has a chance to win this tense recruiting battle is significant news, as the four-star lineman just visited Michigan on June 21. His visit to the Badgers was on May 31. It’s common for a program to land a player’s commitment after a previous visit, but that doesn’t tend to be the case in this scenario.
Newly-minded four-star OL Hardy Watts visits Madison #badger
(IG: hardywatts) pic.twitter.com/UDgBTzMvL3
— Nick Osen (@TheRealNickOsen) June 9, 2024
Watts’ addition would be a marquee addition to Wisconsin’s 2025 incoming class, currently ranked 16th nationally and sixth in the new Big Ten Conference. Notably, the addition would move Wisconsin ahead of Michigan (15th overall and fifth in the Big Ten Conference). The Badgers are currently competing with Michigan for Watts’ addition.
The top-ranked lineman is one of Wisconsin’s top targets yet to commit, and the Badgers’ late-cycle offensive surge could begin with Watt’s commitment on Monday.
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