The Badgers top tight end target in the 2026 class got a coveted offer on Thursday.
The Wisconsin Badgers are slowly rounding out their official visit list for the summer, with a number of top targets set to be on campus during the first two weekends in June.
A player the team definitely wants to get to campus in the summer is Illinois three-star tight end Gavin Mueller, who has been arguably the team’s top target at the position in the 2026 cycle.
Mueller, who stands at 6’5, 230 pounds, was recently on campus for Wisconsin’s junior day, making another trip up to Madison, and the staff has seemed to prioritize him since offering the tight end back in June of 2024 after a camp visit.
However, there could be a thorn at Wisconsin’s side, and it’s one the program has seen quite often: Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish extended an offer to Mueller on Thursday, he announced, with Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock getting involved. That could be a huge swing in the race for Mueller, as Notre Dame has consistently recruited well and even gotten to a few Wisconsin targets.
Some recent pickups include four-star tight end James Flanigan, four-star offensive lineman Owen Strebig, three-star offensive lineman Matty Augustine, and three-star defensive lineman Gordy Sulfstead in the 2025 class alone.
Notre Dame has picked up one tight end in each of their last three recruiting classes, and they could look to go after Mueller late after the offer on Thursday.
Wisconsin seems to be in a good spot for the three-star tight end, but they may be facing some tough competition now after Notre Dame’s recent offer.