The Badgers lost out on a key target this week.
It’s been a buzzing week for the Wisconsin Badgers, who picked up a commitment from 2026 three-star defensive lineman Carmelow Reed on Tuesday.
Reed, a 6’7, 250-pound lineman from Illinois, is the third commitment in the 2026 class for the Badgers, and the first defensive lineman.
However, it wasn’t all bells and whistles this week, as the Badgers lost out on their top defensive tackle target. 2026 three-star defensive lineman Jake Johnson committed to USC, he announced on Monday, after visiting over the weekend.
COMMITTED, @uscfb is the pLAce for me! My recruitment was an amazing process and I’m thankful for every moment of it! Thanks @Hayesfawcett3 for the graphic!@LincolnRiley @Coach_Henny @CoachNua @dantonlynn @flowlikerob @CoachSkyJones @_maximus347 @WestonZernechel @AddiGoodson… pic.twitter.com/4IlrNmixlP
— Jake Johnson (@Jake_Johnson_) April 7, 2025
Johnson, a native of Texas, had been near or atop the Badgers wishlist on the interior in the 2026 class, but will now head across the country to USC, where a familiar face awaits from his recruitment to Wisconsin: Executive Director of Player Personnel Max Stienecker.
Wisconsin still has a few defensive tackles that they are targeting in the 2026 class, and they’re coming off the heels of a big recruiting weekend, with another on the way this Saturday.
But, missing out on Johnson is definitely a blow to Wisconsin’s 2026 recruiting efforts.