In the world of college football recruiting, success tends to breed more success. It's no coincidence the likes of Alabama and Ohio State routinely compete for national titles, then turn around and rank among the best recruiting classes in the country on national signing day less than a month later. Great players want to play for great programs, win games and gain exposure. The cycle repeats.
Given that pattern, one might assume Wisconsin's first top-10 finish in the Associated Press poll in six years would provide the Badgers with the type of recruiting boost other programs often experience. Instead, what it has demonstrated is the Badgers' model of consistency as a rare exception to the general rule.
Case in point: Wisconsin is ranked No. 40 in ESPN's team recruiting rankings for the 2017 class. That's the lowest ranking for any team that finished the season in the top-10 of the AP poll this past season -- by far. The average recruiting ranking for the other nine schools in this class is 7.4, which includes Alabama (first), Ohio State (second), Michigan (fourth), Florida State (fifth) and Oklahoma (sixth). The only other AP top-10 school outside the national recruiting top 20 is Washington, which ranks No. 21.
Wisconsin has secured 17 commitments in its 2017 class, only two of which are rated as ESPN300 recruits: offensive tackle Tyler Beach and offensive guard Kayden Lyles. Four players are rated as four-star recruits -- Beach, Lyles, junior-college defensive end transfer Andrew Van Ginkel and tight end Jake Ferguson -- with 12 three-star players and one two-star prospect.
The Badgers' on-field accomplishments despite seemingly unimpressive recruiting classes highlights two central points: That recruiting is an inexact science and that Wisconsin has, for a number of years, cared more about how players fit in and evolve over time. Wisconsin does not procure the top recruiting classes in the nation annually. But what the Badgers are able to achieve is developing players over four- and five-year careers. By the time they're ready to play for the Badgers, they're every bit as good as any player in college football.
Consider that Wisconsin has never finished with a top 25 recruiting class since ESPN began tracking rankings in 2006. The highest the Badgers finished was No. 33 in 2013. Over the past five recruiting classes, from 2013-17, the program's average recruiting rank was 37.2. Among Big Ten teams, that mark ranks sixth behind Ohio State (4.6), Michigan (14.8), Penn State (19.0), Michigan State (28.8) and Nebraska (28.8).
From 2010-2016, Wisconsin signed 19 four-star players and no five-star prospects, according to ESPN.com's rankings. And yet, despite all those numbers, the Badgers have won the second-most Big Ten games during that span (71), behind only Ohio State (79), which has signed 95 four-star prospects and five five-star players since 2010.
Wisconsin is often labeled as a developmental program, which has a tendecay to be characterized in a negative light. But a FiveThirtyEight.com study concluded Wisconsin overachieved relative to its recruiting rankings better than any Power 5 program from 2005-2014. The Badgers finished 32 spots higher than predicted, using Rivals' recruiting ratings as a metric.
For years, Wisconsin's recruiting strategy has focused on finding burly offensive linemen within state borders and carefully searching for skill-position prospects in the South and East that might have gone overlooked by other major programs. This year's class is a microcosm of the Badgers' master plan. Beach, the top overall recruit, is an offensive tackle from Port Washington, Wisconsin. Four-star offensive guard Kayden Lyles -- the younger brother of Badgers quarterback Kare Lyles -- grew up in Wisconsin, moved to Arizona and then moved back to Wisconsin before his senior year of high school. Wisconsin's two other offensive linemen in the 2017 class also are from the state.
Meanwhile, running back Jonathan Taylor is from New Jersey, wide receivers Cade Green and Emmet Perry are from Texas, cornerback Madison Cone is from North Carolina and cornerback Faion Hicks is from Florida.
Wisconsin has proven it does not require four- and five-star high school prospects to thrive, and the Badgers' well-documented success utilizing walk-ons represents yet another reason. Two years ago, Wisconsin's leading passer, rusher and receiver were quarterback Joel Stave, running back Dare Ogunbowale and wideout Alex Erickson. Those three players collectively held one FBS scholarship offer. Big Ten linebacker of the year Joe Schobert also didn't garner any FBS offers.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards led the Badgers in tackles last fall for a second consecutive season. He was the only two-star prospect in his class at Wisconsin. Linebacker Jack Cichy, one of the team's defensive leaders, nearly accepted an offer to play football at FCS school Holy Cross before becoming a Wisconsin walk-on.
And of course there is the story of in-state prospect J.J. Watt, who was ranked as the 172nd-best defensive end in the 2007 class. He transferred as a walk-on to Wisconsin from Central Michigan, became a first-round NFL draft pick and has been named the league's defensive player of the year three times.
Once again, Wisconsin's recruiting class on national signing day won't wow the masses. But a few years from now, you can be sure those players will make a major impact on Saturdays, keeping the Badgers relevant in the Big Ten West and beyond. It is a cycle that belies other top programs in the country -- and one Badgers coach Paul Chryst doesn't intend to change anytime soon.