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The Badgers beat out a number of top schools for a defensive lineman.
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Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Wisconsin Badgers have secured a commitment from 2025 three-star defensive lineman Xavier Ukponu, he announced on Monday.
Ukponu, a 6’2, 290-pound defensive lineman from Texas, was one of the more highly-sought-after recruits in the class, securing 36 scholarship offers overall.
That involved offers from LSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, and USC, among other schools, showcasing some of the high-end interest for the three-star.
He had a busy month of June, taking official visits to Florida, USC, Oregon, LSU, and Texas A&M.
But, Wisconsin came on late here, showing serious interest before offering him in late July. Ultimately, their efforts won out, as Ukponu committed on Monday, providing the Badgers with their third defensive lineman in the class.
Ukponu is scheduled to make his official visit during the season on September 14th, when Wisconsin hosts Alabama as a part of their non-conference schedule.
He now joins three-stars Wilnerson Telemaque and Torin Pettaway as the defensive linemen for the Badgers in the 2025 class.
The position had been one of interest for Wisconsin, as they had missed out on a few targets, such as Kade Pietrzak, Drayden Pavey, and Kyler Garcia.
Looking for the right fit, they pivoted and focused their efforts on Ukponu, who now becomes the 23rd commit for the Badgers in the 2025 class.