Wisconsin 2012 Recruiting

Wisconsin Badgers 2012 - Big Ten ... Head Coach: Bret Bielema

Wisconsin Badgers

2011 Record: 11-3

Sep. 3 UNLV W 51-17
Sep. 10 Oregon State W 35-0
Sep. 17 NIU (in Chicago) W 49-7
Sep. 24 South Dakota W 59-10
Oct. 1 Nebraska W 48-17
Oct. 8 OPEN DATE
Oct. 15 Indiana W 59-7
Oct. 22 at Michigan State L 37-31
Oct. 29 at Ohio State L 33-29
Nov. 5 Purdue W 62-17
Nov. 12 at Minnesota W 42-13
Nov. 19 at Illinois W 28-17
Nov. 26 Penn State W 45-7
Big Ten Championship
Dec. 3 Michigan State W 42-39
Rose Bowl
Jan. 2 Oregon L 45-38

2010 CFN Prediction: 9-3
2010 Record: 11-2

Sept. 4 at UNLV W 41-21
Sept. 11 San Jose St W 27-14
Sept. 18 Arizona St W 20-19
Sept. 25 Austin Peay W 70-3
Oct. 2 at Michigan St L 34-24
Oct. 9 Minnesota W 41-23
Oct. 16 Ohio State W 31-18
Oct. 23 at Iowa W 31-30
Oct. 30 OPEN DATE
Nov. 6 at Purdue W 34-13
Nov. 13 Indiana W 83-20
Nov. 20 at Michigan W 48-28
Nov. 27 Northwestern W 70-23
Rose Bowl
Jan. 1 TCU L 21-19
- Get Tickets

The Entire 2012 Recruiting Class

Top 5 Wisconsin Recruits To Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. QB Bart Houston
6-4, 201, Scout.com 7th ranked, four-star quarterback. Houston has that "it-factor" that college coaches want in their quarterback, all the intangibles, the pocket poise and leadership as well as the mental toughness. He has a rifle on him and gets rid of the ball as quick as anyone. That said, he tends to drop his arm a little too much at the point of release. Houston has great mobility and has won two state championships already.

2. OG Dan Voltz
6-4, 290, Scout.com 7th ranked, four-star guard. Voltz is a tough blue collar lineman who will make the switch from high school tackle to guard at the next level. He's a strong drive blocker who plays with good pad level and finishes his blocks. Even though he played tackle, we still see room for improvement in pass protection, but he's a high intensity, high motor guy that should be a multi-year college starter.

3. LB Vince Biegel
6-3, 205, Scout.com 23rd ranked, four-star outside linebacker. He can run for a kid of his size and he attacks with little hesitation and good closing burst. He's a good tackler that hits hard and wraps up. His athleticism allows him to play in space and in coverage. Based on the competition he's seen in high school, he will have to adjust to shedding blocks from bigger, stronger linemen at the next level.

4. RB Vonte Jackson
6-0, 185, Scout.com 28th ranked, four-star running back. Jackson is a speedy back with great ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He is quick and has good elusiveness in the open field. He suffered a serious injury as a senior and that is a concern along with his overall lack of bulk.

5. S D.J. Singleton
6-3, 195, Scout.com 14th ranked, four-star safety.

The 2012 Class Was Heavy On... The offensive line. The Badgers don’t need to come up with a big class, going after quality over quantity. Bret Bielema is going outside of the state for some of the key prospects, including getting guard Dan Voltz out of Illinois. More good ones are on the way. Bielema has mostly focused on getting the type of defenders who fit what the program likes to do by developing overachievers, but this year, more top players are giving UW a look.

Team Concerns For 2012: Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. It’s Wisconsin, so the offensive line will be fine with a little bit of time, and the defense has enough great prospects from the last few recruiting classes to be ready to fill in the gaps, but Russell Wilson was a special quarterback who bailed out a bad situation when he signed on. The offense will continue to work around Montee Ball and the running game, but a third straight Rose Bowl is out without an efficient passer. Both kickers – PK Philip Welch and P Brad Nortman – have to be replaced.

Looking Ahead To The 2012 Season: The Badgers might win the Leaders by default with Ohio State not eligible for the Big Ten title and Penn State in trouble, but there’s one big question. Is there another Russell Wilson out there?

Jon Budmayr has an elbow issue that’s having a hard time healing, while Curt Phillips is a tremendously talented prospect who can’t catch a break when it comes to knee injuries. The starting quarterback won’t have to do too much passing with Heisman finalist Montee Ball returning to mount another assault on the record books. Center Peter Konz is leaving early for the NFL, but the line was just fine when he missed time during the year hurt; it’ll once again be one of college football’s best front fives. Chris Borland and Mike Taylor form one of America’s best linebacking duos, but five starters are gone off a defense that needs more speed and athleticism.

The 2011 Class Was Heavy On … Outside linebackers. Wisconsin might be Tight End U. with the success of players like Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks, and others over the last few seasons, and there’s more talent on the way with Sam Arneson, Austin Maly, and Eric Staffes three good pass catchers. Overall, this is a typical Badger class with no real superstars, but plenty of midlevel prospects who fit the team’s mold. The one top pickup was Jake Keefer, local product with great range. Michael Caputo and Jordan Fredrick are just two of the several other good outside defenders brought in.

2010 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 27. That Class Was Heavy On ... Defensive linemen. Overall, this was a diverse and strong class that made up for a few years of subpar Signing Days. Wisconsin might recruit to fit the program, but this class also has talent. The Badgers signed a ton of defensive linemen last season and kept bringing in the talent this year with six excellent prospect. 292-pound DT Beau Allen was the key piece to the puzzle, while Sherard Cadogan and Konrad Zagzebeski fit the UW mold of smallish, lightning quick speed rushers on the outside. Jeff Lewis and James White will have a few years to work into the running back rotation.

2009 CFN Recruiting Ranking: 53. That Class Was Heavy On ... defensive linemen. The Badgers have been surprisingly soft up front over the last few years. Poor tackling has been part of the problem; injuries have been the other part. This year’s class addressed the needs up front led by tackle Jordan Kohout, arguably the state’s top recruit. Pat Muldoon and Shelby Harris are strong pass rushing prospects who have to come through and shine sooner than later.

Rose Bowl
Oregon 45 … Wisconsin 38
Oregon: The Ducks outgained the Badgers 345 rushing yards to 212 … Darron Thomas completed 17-of-23 passes for 268 yards and three scores with a pick … LaMichael James ran 25 times for 159 yards and a score. … Lavasier Tuinei eight catches for 158 yards and two scores. … DeAnthony Thomas ran two times for 155 yards and two scores, and caught four passes for 34 yards. … Safety John Boyett made 16 tackles with a half a sack. … LB Michael Clay made 13 tackles with two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.

Wisconsin: The Badgers lost in fourth quarter time of possession 10:09 to 4:51. … Russell Wilson completed 19-of-25 passes for 296 yards and three scores, and he ran for a touchdown. … Montee Ball ran 32 times for 164 yards and a score, and caught four passes for 51 yards. … Nick Toon caught nine passes for 104 yards and a score. … Mike Taylor made 13 tackles with a sack, a forced fumble, and Chris Borland made 12 tackles with a sack and a fumble.

Fiutak - Wisconsin Hit Its Ceiling
Cirminiello - Chip Up. Kelly's Moment
Zemek - Bielema's Ignorance
Sallee - O Explosion
Johnson - Kelly Now Elite
Harrison - Oregon's Amazing Attack

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Oregon's incredible offense busted up Wisconsin and the record books on the way to the Ducks' first Rose Bowl victory in 95 years.

Darron Thomas passed for three touchdowns, De'Anthony Thomas scored on runs of 91 and 64 yards, and the No. 6 Ducks earned their first bowl victory under coach Chip Kelly, holding off Wisconsin 45-38 Monday night in the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever played.

And it wasn't over until a video review confirmed the Badgers (11-3) ran out of time at the Oregon 25, out of timeouts and unable to spike the ball in time to stop the clock for a last-gasp fling.

Lavasier Tuinei caught eight passes for 158 yards and two TDs for the Ducks (12-2), who had no postseason success to show for Kelly's otherwise wildly successful three-year tenure until this landmark offensive performance in the 98th Rose Bowl. Oregon hadn't won the West Coast's biggest game since 1917.

"It's been 95 years since you could say: Oregon Ducks, Rose Bowl champions," Kelly said after the Ducks held Wisconsin scoreless in the fourth quarter.

The Granddaddy of Them All had never seen this many points, beating the record 80 scored by Washington and Iowa in 1991.

With the Ducks wearing mirrored helmets and playing at their usual frantic pace, Oregon racked up 621 total yards, just shy of the Rose Bowl record.

Montee Ball rushed for 122 of his 164 yards in the first half for the Badgers (11-3), who lost the Rose Bowl for the second straight year despite managing 508 yards of their own. Ball tied Barry Sanders' FBS record with his 39th touchdown of the season, while Russell Wilson passed for 296 yards and two scores.

"This team showed what Oregon football is all about," said linebacker Kiko Alonso, named the game's top defensive player after getting a key interception.

Wisconsin had two drives to tie it after Oregon kicked a field goal with 6:50 to play, but Jared Abbrederis fumbled near the Oregon sideline after making a long catch. The ball plopped onto the turf without even bouncing, and Oregon's Michael Clay jumped on it with 4:06 left.

That video review went the Ducks' way, too.

The Badgers had burned two timeouts early in the second half, so Oregon was able to run the clock down to 23 seconds before punting.

Wilson connected on two long passes, but the officials went to video review after the clock went to zeros as Wilson rushed his team to the Oregon 25 with 2 seconds left, waited for the ball to be set, then took the snap and spiked the ball.

But the Badgers took too long. The officials ruled time had indeed expired, and the Ducks sprinted onto the field to the frenzied cheers of their outnumbered fans.

The Ducks and Badgers produced the highest-scoring first quarter (14-14) and first half (28-28) in Rose Bowl history, eventually surpassing the 80 scored in Washington's 46-34 win over Iowa in 1991. Oregon's yardage fell just short of USC's 633 yards against Illinois in 2008.

Sure, Baylor's 67-56 win over Washington in the Alamo Bowl last Thursday might have packed bigger sheer numbers. But Wisconsin and Oregon commanded a much bigger stage - and the Ducks unleashed every bit of their formidable offensive power.

Tuinei was named the Ducks' offensive player of the game, but their flashiest star in those futuristic helmets was De'Anthony Thomas, the freshman from Los Angeles who showed off his electrifying athleticism on the longest scoring run in Rose Bowl history in the second quarter, going 91 yards up the middle. He added a mere 64-yard scoring run in the opening minute of the second half as Oregon won the matchup of the last two losers of the Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin lost 21-19 to TCU last season, and the Ducks lost to Ohio State two years ago before losing the BCS title game last year.

"It almost felt like there was some sort of magical force keeping us from getting it done in bowl games," Oregon guard Carson York said. "Glad we did it today."

LaMichael James rushed for 159 yards and an early TD in his likely college finale for the Ducks, while De'Anthony Thomas finished with 155 yards. Kenjon Barner also caught a TD pass from Darron Thomas.

Abbrederis and Nick Toon caught TD passes for Wisconsin, and defensive end Louis Nzegwu returned a fumble 33 yards for a score in the second quarter.

In the second half, the Ducks even slowed Ball. The Heisman Trophy finalist started strong in what's likely his final college game, even hurdling Oregon safety John Boyett in what's sure to be a big YouTube hit, but he had just three carries for no yards in the fourth quarter.

Both teams won their respective conferences' first-ever league title games to earn this trip to Pasadena. Although the Ducks' drought was generations longer, Wisconsin hasn't won in Pasadena since Jan. 1, 2000, when Ron Dayne led the Badgers to back-to-back Rose Bowl titles.

Oregon quickly debunked the theory that teams with extra time to prepare for the Ducks' inventive offense have a better chance to stop it. The Ducks were 1-4 in bowl games and season openers under Kelly until they carved up Wisconsin with the second-biggest yardage performance in Rose Bowl history.

Wisconsin set the tone from its opening drive, going 77 yards in seven plays for Abbrederis' wide-open 38-yard TD catch just 3:12 in. Ball carried on the Badgers' first four snaps, and play-action set up the pass - two themes that dominated Wisconsin's game plan.

Oregon answered with an 80-yard drive in just 2:07, culminating in James' 1-yard TD run. Wisconsin scored again on Wilson's 4-yard run before the teams finally traded punts, but De'Anthony Thomas broke through the Wisconsin line and sprinted down the Oregon sideline for a 91-yard score, surpassing Tyrone Wheatley's bowl-record 88-yard run in 1993 and capping the second-longest scoring drive in Rose Bowl history at 95 yards with Oregon's longest run all season.

Wisconsin opened the second quarter with Ball's record-tying run, but Darron Thomas found Barner open down the seam for a 54-yard score on Oregon's next play. Both defenses then got a brief chance to shine: The Ducks stopped Wisconsin on fourth down inside the Oregon 20, but blitzing Wisconsin linebacker Mike Taylor forced Darron Thomas' fumble moments later, and Nzegwu scooped and scored.

Oregon calmly answered with Tuinei's 3-yard TD catch with 30 seconds left. The teams' 56 combined points surpasses the record 45 scored by Wisconsin and UCLA in 1999.

De'Anthony Thomas' 64-yard TD run put Oregon ahead, and the Ducks then held Wisconsin to a mere field goal - but the Badgers' defense forced a punt, and Wilson made several heady plays on the way to an 18-yard TD pass to Toon.

The quarterbacks traded interceptions. Then Darron Thomas found Tuinei for his second score just 25 seconds into the fourth quarter, putting the Ducks ahead to stay.

Dec. 3 Wisconsin 42 … Michigan State 39
CFN Analysis: The Badger defense had better come up with some more speed in the back seven in a big hurry or the Rose Bowl against Oregon isn’t going to be pretty. … Russell Wilson will be remembered for his two big throws – one for a touchdown and one to set up the final score – but he was at his best in the fourth quarter on third downs. … Montee Ball ran 27 times for 137 yards and three scores, caught three passes for seven yards and a score, and hit Wilson on a 32-yard play. It was Heisman-worthy. … The Badger O line didn’t necessarily wear down the MSU D line, but it got the job done. It’s going to have to dominate the Duck defensive front.  

Nov. 26 at Wisconsin 45 … Penn State 7
CFN Analysis: The offensive line owned the game. Penn State’s run defense was playing at a high level, but the patchwork Badger front five dominated throughout. Wisconsin blasted away and did whatever it wanted offensively. … Montee Ball deserves to be in the Heisman picture, but he’s not. He rolled for 156 yards and four scores, averaging 6.2 yards per carry against the nation’s No. 8 defense. … It was a total defensive effort that gave up one big pass play on a breakdown, but that was it. Chris Borland and Mike Taylor combined for only 13 tackles, but they were always around the ball. … Wisconsin wanted its shot at a rematch with Michigan State, but forget about the Hail Mary; the lines have to play far better than they did in East Lansing.  

Nov. 19 Wisconsin 28 … at Illinois 17
CFN Analysis: The Badgers came up with a clunker of a first half, unable to move the ball and struggling stop the Illini defensive front, and then everything changed in the second half. The patchwork offensive line started to do some shoving around and Russell Wilson started to connect. However, it took too long to get going. … It also took a slew of Illinois mistakes with four turnovers, a misplay on a punt return, and other problems giving the Badgers several breaks. .. Wisconsin only gained 285 yards of total offense, but Montee Ball took over and showed why he belongs in the Heisman chase with 224 yards and two scores on 38 carries. … Beat Penn State and play for the Big Ten title. It’s that simple now.  

Nov. 12 Wisconsin 42 … at Minnesota 13
CFN Analysis: The Badgers came into the game knowing the Leaders was now theirs for the taking. There’s still work to do, but with Penn State and Ohio State losing in the morning games, it would take three wins to play for the Big Ten title. UW never let the Gophers breathe with a near-perfect performance. … Except for the special teams. Once again, there was a major screw-up, allowing a kickoff return for a score to start the second half to add the special teams’ woes over the last month. … Russell Wilson was perfect, completing 16-of-17 passes with Nick Toon dropping the one misfire. Wilson was in total command, not taking any chances, while Montee Ball was Montee Ball, running for 166 yards and two scores, setting the Big Ten record for most touchdowns in a single season. … There were lots of bumps and bruises, especially to the linebacking corps, and everyone needs to be right to deal with a desperate Illinois team on the road to set up the game against Penn State for the division title. 

Nov. 5 at Wisconsin 62 … Purdue 17
CFN Analysis: It’s alright. Everyone can take a deep breath again. The Badger special teams continue to have too many breakdowns, screwing up early on kickoff coverage, but the offense was humming in high gear cranking out 605 yards and doing whatever it wanted. The 62 points was being nice; the Badgers could’ve hung 80 on the board had they kept their foot on the gas. Montee Ball ripped off big run after big run on the way to 223 yards and three touchdowns, but James White still can’t seem to get going. Averaging under three yards per carry, White isn’t able to break free and get open like he did last year. Russell Wilson was brilliant, completing 15-of-20 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns, and running for 76 yards and a score. Now the offense has to prove it can do this in a true road game, going to Minnesota and Illinois for the next two weeks before hosting Penn State. 

Oct. 29 at Ohio State 33 … Wisconsin 29
CFN Analysis: Wisconsin, keep your head up; you can still win the Big Ten title. Win out, hope for an Ohio State loss, and hope for a Penn State loss to OSU or Nebraska, and the Rose Bowl is still on the table. However, the team has to get back to being more physical after getting whipped by the Buckeye lines. The defense couldn’t tackle Braxton Miller or Dan Herron – but Mike Taylor tried, with 22 tackles – and the offense sputtered and coughed too much in the middle of the game. Getting a punt blocked for a second straight week was inexcusable, and giving up a big play deep to a wide open Devin Smith is unforgiveable. With Purdue and Minnesota up next, there’s time to right the ship before going to Illinois and Penn State, and to get back on track the O line has to start playing like the Wisconsin O line again.

Oct. 22 at Michigan State 37, Wisconsin 31
CFN Analysis: Once again, Wisconsin lose a big game because it failed to do what it does best for a full sixty minutes. Montee Ball getting knocked out for most of the first half was a problem, but still, the offensive line got into a lather on the opening drive and then late in the game when the team needed to start marching. However, the line struggled in the middle to keep pounding, even though it was working, and then the wheels came off after Russell Wilson’s first interception. This game will always be remembered by Badger fans for the ending, but the game was lost late in the first half and on third downs. The special teams breakdowns were big, dropped passes were a problem, and a few key penalties were costly, but the defense’s inability to get off the field was the biggest issue. MSU had the ball for almost 20 minutes in the second half. While the national title dream is all but gone, this loss might not really matter. Win out and it’s off to the Rose Bowl, but first, the Badgers can’t let MSU beat them twice and they have to gear it up for a rested Ohio State. Win that, and then they really will probably get the Spartans a second time. 

Oct. 15 at Wisconsin 59 … Indiana 7
CFN Analysis: Yeah, Wisconsin beat Indiana in a walk, that was expected, but all that matters going forward is the health of Nick Toon. The Badgers’ star receiver is the playmaking deep threat who takes the Wisconsin offense to another level, and his foot injury lingers, that’s going to be a huge problem against Michigan State and Ohio State on the road. Russell Wilson was great, Montee Ball was better - with 14 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns, and a 25-yard scoring pass to Wilson – and Chris Borland was dominant with 15 tackles in the easy blowout. It’s statement-making time against MSU next week, and if the Badgers win easily, it really will be time to talk about national title possibilities.  

Oct. 1 at Wisconsin 48 … Nebraska 17
CFN Analysis: The win went better than the coaching staff could’ve ever dreamed. The offensive line was physical and dominant against the good Husker defensive front, and the defensive front was able to control the line with mostly a three-man look. The Badgers were explosive, brutish and consistent, moving the ball at will against a real, live defense. Russell Wilson was in total command completing 14-of-20 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by a gorgeous 46-yard touchdown pass to Nick Toon. This was a total team effort in a blowout with the world watching. The secondary still needs work, and health will be an issue, but with two weeks off before the layup against Indiana, there’s a nice three week break before the make-or-break showdowns at Michigan State and Ohio State.  

Sept. 24 at Wisconsin 59 … South Dakota 10
CFN Analysis: Alright, enough is enough. It’s time for the show to begin. The Badgers needed a few drives to get warmed up, like they did against Oregon State, but once Russell Wilson found his groove, he and Nick Toon were phenomenal. The running game isn’t quite blowing bad teams away like it should, but with Wilson as sharp as he’s ever been, there aren’t any complaints. The world will now converge on Madison for the huge game against Nebraska, and with GameDay, the primetime broadcast, and the Huskers’ first Big Ten game getting all the attention, it might be easy to forget that no one is playing sharper or better than the Badgers. Of course, they haven’t played anyone with a pulse. 

Sept. 17 Wisconsin 49 … Northern Illinois 7
CFN Analysis: So much for the Badger defense having problems with the NIU spread offense. The Wisconsin attack will get all the headlines after rolling up 621 yards and doing whatever it wanted to – with Russell Wilson throwing for 247 yards and three scores with a pick – but the defense helped to make the game a blowout. The loss of corner Devin Smith was an issue early on, and NIU tried to exploit the Badgers with the deep ball, but the clamps were put down the rest of the way as dangerous QB Chandler Harnish was held to -2 yards rushing and only threw for 164 yards. This was a dominant performance over a dangerous team, and up next is a nice week off against South Dakota before Nebraska comes into town. With the way Wilson and the Badgers are playing, there’s no one on the schedule that can hang with them right now. 

Sept. 10 at Wisconsin 35 ... Oregon State 0
CFN Analysis: The running game didn’t work so hot early on for the Badgers, but that’s what they have Russell Wilson. With the Beavers loading up to stop the ground game, Wilson was brilliant completing 17-of-21 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns, and then everything else kicked in as usual with Montee Ball tearing off 118 yards and two touchdown on just 18 carries. The defense didn’t allow a thing and wasn’t fazed at all by Oregon State’s attempt to mix things up with the quarterbacks and the short passing game. This was another dominant performance against an overmatched team, but it’s going to be a tough battle against Chandler Harnish and Northern Illinois next week; there can’t be a lapse on the way to Chicago.
 
Sept. 1 at Wisconsin 51 … UNLV 17
CFN Analysis: Everyone knew that Wisconsin could run the ball on UNLV, but the offensive line made it look way too easy. Even with some major replacements, the Badger front five paved the way for 241 rushing yards and five scores, with the slimmer, quicker Montee Ball running for three of the touchdowns. Of course, the story against UNLV was Russell Wilson, who was almost perfect completing 10-of-13 passes for 255 yards and two scores, while running for 62 yards and a brilliant 46-yard touchdown. He missed a few open receivers and his footwork wasn’t always textbook, but he looked every bit like the big-time quarterback the Badgers were hoping he’d be. The D struggled against the Pistol offense, bending but not breaking until late. Chris Borland led all tacklers with seven, but he and the front seven looked a bit lost at times and have to be much tighter with Oregon State up next and Chandler Harnish and NIU to follow. 

The 2011 Recruiting Class Is Heavy On … Outside linebackers. Wisconsin might be Tight End U. with the success of players like Travis Beckum, Lance Kendricks, and others over the last few seasons, and there’s more talent on the way with Sam Arneson, Austin Maly, and Eric Staffes three good pass catchers. Overall, this is a typical Badger class with no real superstars, but plenty of midlevel prospects who fit the team’s mold. The one top pickup was Jake Keefer, local product with great range. Michael Caputo and Jordan Fredrick are just two of the several other good outside defenders brought in.

Five Wisconsin Recruits You Should Care About
Player writeups by Scout.com

1. RB Melvin Gordon
6-1, 185, Scout.com’s 38th ranked running back. Gordon finished his junior season with 96 carries, 1,060 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns, earning honorable mention All-State honors. Gordon says he can bench 250-pounds, squat 385 and has a 35-inch vertical jump. Fast and elusive.

2. LB Jake Keefer
6-4, 200, Scout.com’s 22nd ranked outside linebacker.

3. DE James Adeyanju
6-2, 240, Scout.com’s 39th ranked defensive end. Adeyanju is the younger brother of former Indiana star and current St. Louis Rams defensive end Victor Adeyanju. He says he can bench 325-pounds, squat 425 and has a 27-inch vertical jump.

4. LB Michael Caputo
6-1, 195, Scout.com’s 42nd ranked linebacker. Runs the ball with a linebacker mentality and plays much bigger and stronger than his listed 200 pounds. A good feel for the game, Caputo has good vision on both offense and defense. A solid tackler, Caputo wraps up and plants his facemask square on a ball carrier.

5. OT Ray Ball
6-7, 325, Scout.com’s 48th ranked offensive tackle.

2011 Entire Recruiting Class
James Adeyanju DE 6-3 230 Chicago, Ill. (Curie Metropolitan)
Sam Arneson TE 6-4 241 Merrill, Wis. (Merrill)
Ray Ball OL 6-7 330 Columbus, Ohio (Westerville South)
Michael Caputo DB 6-1 198 Imperial, Pa. (West Allegheny)
Kenzel Doe WR 5-8 165 Reidsville, N.C. (Reidsville)
Terrance Floyd DB 5-11 190 Boynton Beach, Fla. (Santaluces)
Jordan Fredrick LB 6-3 230 Madison, Wis. (Madison Memorial)
Devin Gaulden DB 5-10 180 Miramar, Fla. (University School)
Jesse Hayes DE 6-3 225 Cincinnati, Ohio (Moeller)
Melvin Gordon RB 6-0 190 Kenosha, Wis. (Mary D. Bradford)
Darius Hillary WR/CB 5-11 175 Cincinnati, Ohio (Sycamore)
A.J. Jordan WR 6-1 175 Dayton, Ohio (Trotwood Madison)
Jake Keefer LB 6-3 218 Woodville, Wis. (Baldwin-Woodville)
Derek Landisch LB 5-11 213 Nashotah, Wis. (Arrowhead)
Austin Maly TE 6-5 216 Waunakee, Wis. (Waunakee)
Tyler Marz OL 6-7 285 Springfield, Minn. (Springfield)
Eric Steffes TE 6-4 220 Mount Calvary, Wis. (St. Mary's Spring Academy)
Austin Traylor TE 6-4 215 Columbus, Ohio (Walnut Ridge)
Derek Watt LB 6-3 220 Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
Fred Willis, Jr. WR 6-2 192 Milwaukee, Wis. (Brookfield Academy)