The recruiting momentum continues for the Badgers as the 2023 early signing period draws near.
Christian Alliegro, who played for Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut this season, announced via social media Wednesday that he verbally committed to play football at the University of Wisconsin.
247Sports, On3 and Rivals rate Alliegro as a three-star recruit. Hey announced in March that he would take a post graduate year and reclassify it to the 2023 class. The three recruiting services designate him as a linebacker prospect.
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Alliegro has tweeted Power Five offers from UW, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, NC State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia and Wake Forest. He also was a three-star lacrosse recruit who was previously committed to the Navy for that sport, according to InsideLacrosse.com.
Alliegro took an official visit to Madison this past weekend.
UW now holds 12 scholarship verbal commits for this recruiting cycle, and Alliegro becomes the fourth recruit to join the Badgers’ 2023 class since Luke Fickell became head coach. Defensive backs Jonas Duclona and Braedyn Moore, along with tight end Tucker Ashcraft, have publicly declared their intentions to become Badgers since Monday.
See who’s in Wisconsin football’s 2023 recruiting class
Tyler Jansey — Batavia (Illinois)
COURTESY OF CEDRIC JONES, CEDJAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Consensus three-star linebacker Tyler Jansey became the first member of the Badgers’ 2023 recruiting class when he announced his commitment on Jan. 28.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound inside linebacker ranks as the 10th-best player in his class in Illinois, per Rivals. He had 36 tackles and 5½ sacks in a six-game season as a sophomore and followed that up with 88 tackles and 16 tackles for loss in 11 games as a junior, according to MaxPreps. Jansey chose UW over offers from Eastern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Miami (Ohio) and others.
BadgerExtra exclusive: What Tyler Jansey can bring to the Badgers’ ILB room
James Durand — Basha (Arizona)
James Durand became the first offensive lineman in the 2023 class when he committed on May 6.
The Chandler, Arizona, product is a 6-foot-6, 285-pound tackle/guard who had a number of offers. Arizona, BYU, California, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa State, Oregon State and Utah were among his suitors. Durand visited UW in late March and received his offer that weekend.
Durand has quick feet and good balance, which allows him to wall off defenders in pass blocks.
Justin ‘JT’ Taylor — Nazareth Academy (Illinois)
Consensus three-star defensive back Justin Taylor became the first member of the secondary to join the class when he verbally committed on May 13.
Taylor is a 6-foot, 185-pound athlete who could play cornerback or safety at the next level. He held offers to Kansas State, Army, Air Force and others before committing to UW. The Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Ill.) product is a native of Broadview, Ill.
His tape shows good speed and instincts when playing the ball in the air.
Nate White — Milwaukee Rufus King
Three-star tailback Nate White from Milwaukee Rufus King became the sixth recruit in the 2023 class when he announced his decision in late May.
The 6-foot, 175-pound speedster had offers from Iowa State, Minnesota, Purdue, Kansas and others before choosing UW. White averaged 8.6 yards per carry and had 20 touchdowns as a junior, according to WisSports.net statistics.
BadgerExtra exclusive: Here’s what Nate White can bring to the Badgers backfield
Jordan Mayer — Thomas Jefferson (Pennsylvania)
UW added long and strong outside linebacker Jordan Mayer to the recruiting class on June 12.
Mayer, a three-star prospect listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, played defensive end in high school but will join the Badgers’ outside linebacker room. The former Boston College commit was choosing between UW, Cincinnati, West Virginia and Virginia Tech. Mayer hails from Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania.
AJ Tisdell — College Station (Texas)
COURTESY OF COURTNEY TISDELL
UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat dipped into Texas to secure a commitment from rising cornerback prospect AJ Tisdell.
The College Station native is a three-star recruit according to Rivals and he held offers from Baylor, California, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and others before choosing UW. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Tisdell shows fluidity in his hips and strong hands at the point of attack.
Jace Arnold — Marietta (Georgia)
COURTESY TOBYETTE SIMMONS
The Badgers pulled four-star cornerback Jace Arnold out of Georgia to secure their 11th commitment of the class on June 22.
Arnold, a 5-foot-11, 184-pound prospect from Marietta, had offers from Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisville, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt, among others.
Arnold is a willing tackler whose speed will be an asset for UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Cole LaCrue — Broomfield (Colorado)
Class of 2023 quarterback Cole LaCrue during his unofficial visit to Wisconsin on Sept. 10.
COURTESY OF GARY BEGHTOL
The Badgers finally got their quarterback in the 2023 class when Cole LaCrue committed in early November.
The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 2 and 190 pounds and has shown good running ability at the high school level. He throws on the run well and shows good touch on throws down the field.
“I’m not your typical 7-on-7 guy,” LaCrue told the State Journal. “I can sit in the pocket if you’re gonna give it to me and I’m gonna dice you up. But if you’re gonna take that, cloud it up, I’m gonna destroy you with my legs. So it’s an opportunity where I see myself thriving and it’s an opportunity for me, I think, to revolutionize this Wisconsin offense and I can give it another look that it’s been waiting for.”
Jonas Duclona — Naples (Florida)
Three-star defensive back Jonas Duclona became the first recruit of the Luke Fickell era to commit to UW. He was originally committed to Fickell and his staff at Cincinnati, but chose to follow them to UW.
He had more than 30 scholarship offers out of high school. Duclona, listed at 6 foot and 170 pounds on his Hudl profile, is slated to play in the 2023 All-American Bowl in January.
ALL GLORY TO GOD 🙏🏾 UW I’M 1000% committed ⚪️🔴🦡‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ @_maximus347 @PatLambert13 @CoachFick @BadgerFootball @CoachTurnerUW @CoachHitsch @RWrightRivals @247Sports pic.twitter.com/gprpGEUuuG
— Jonas Duclona 🇭🇹 (@DuclonaJonas) December 12, 2022
Braedyn Moore — Stephan T. Badin (Ohio)
A second Cincinnati commit flipped to the Badgers when Braedyn Moore picked UW.
The four-star safety is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 15 athletes in the class. He’s listed by 247Sports at 6 foot 1½ and 190 pounds.
Tucker Ashcraft — O’Dea (Washington)
UW finally landed a tight end in the 2023 class when Tucker Ashcraft made his commitment to the Badgers.
Ashcraft was originally committed to Colorado, but reopened his recruitment after a coaching change for the Buffs. The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 5 and 235 pounds.
Christian Alliegro — Avon Old Farms School (Connecticut)
The Badgers picked up an intriguing linebacker recruit out from a post-graduate school in Christian Alliegro.
The three-star prospect is listed at 6 foot 3 and 220 pounds, and he was a three-star lacrosse recruit as well.
Alliegro has tweeted Power Five offers from UW, Louisville, Maryland, Minnesota, NC State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia and Wake Forest.