Wisconsin football has put itself in the mix for one of the biggest names in the 2028 recruiting cycle.
Edge defender Jalanie George of Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Arizona revealed his top four Monday night, and Wisconsin made the cut alongside Washington, Miami and Auburn. George is set to announce his commitment on Oct. 1.
The Badgers have been pushing hard for George since earlier this summer. Wisconsin came close to getting him on campus for a recruiting event in June, a sign that the program had already made real progress with the highly sought-after defender. He didn’t make that summer trip to Madison, but the Badgers did land a game-day visit from him for their Week 2 win over Western Illinois.
That visit now looks even more important. Just more than a week after seeing Madison in person, George is ready to choose a school.
What makes Wisconsin’s place on the list stand out is that the Badgers were not on George’s original group of finalists. That earlier list included Ohio State, Washington, Miami, Auburn, Oklahoma and Florida. Ohio State, Florida and Oklahoma are now out, while Wisconsin has surged back into the picture.
For Wisconsin, this is a notable swing in a recruitment that seemed to move quickly in its favor. The Badgers have had success on the trail recently, with their 2027 class currently sitting at No. 25 nationally on 247Sports and No. 28 on On3/Rivals. Even so, George is the kind of player Wisconsin usually does not land.
The rankings show just how high the ceiling is here. George is a five-star prospect on On3/Rivals and also a 247Sports Composite five-star. On3 places him at No. 9 overall and No. 2 among edge defenders, while 247Sports has him at No. 66 nationally and No. 12 at his position.
At 6-4, 245 pounds, George brings the kind of frame and force that jump off the screen. He gets into the backfield quickly and can overwhelm offensive lines with his blend of speed and strength.
Wisconsin already has two commitments in its 2028 class: linebacker Cale Britt from Orlando, Florida, and offensive lineman Brock Barrows from Missouri. If the Badgers can finish this one off, George would immediately be the centerpiece of that group.
Now it comes down to Oct. 1.
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