Wisconsin trending for 4-star RB Amari Latimer

Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin coaching staff are picking up steam on the recruiting trail with official visit season underway.

June has already brought five commitments for the Badgers. According to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Big Ten program is now trending to land another big prospect.

Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek four-star running back Amari Latimer was in Madison last weekend for an official visit. Wisconsin looks to have the momentum following his trip, as On3’s Steve Wiltfong and Michigan insider EJ Holland have each logged picks in favor of the Badgers landing the 6-foot, 200-pounder.

“Wisconsin has a new offense and I like that,” Latimer told On3’s Chad Simmons in April. “I saw them play hard over the weekend and it was great to be back up there. I like the coaches, the offense broke some big plays and my brother is balling out up there, so that is nice.”

Wisconsin is battling Michigan, Texas, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee for Latimer’s pledge. He’s set to take an official visit to Michigan this weekend, then see Texas and UGA to round out the month. However, Latimer will pull the trigger on his decision whenever he feels the time is right.

“My decision could come in the middle of May to early June,” Latimer told On3’s Chad Simmons in April. “I am still deciding on that. There is still a lot we are looking at and thinking about right now. I could take my official visits first or I could commit right before. It will be about the feeling I have.”

Latimer is the No. 312 overall prospect and No. 21 RB in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 38 player in Georgia.

On3 ranks him higher than other recruiting services, however. He checks in as the No. 175 recruit, No. 19 RB and No. 22 player in Georgia, per the 2026 On300.

“When I make my decision, some of the most important things are the offensive system the school runs, the relationships I have with the staff and how the coaches treat the players,” Latimer added. “The education is very important too.”

As a junior for Sandy Creek, Latimer ran for over 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns, per MaxPreps. He also caught 27 passes for 363 yards and four TDs. He has more than 3,000 total yards to his name across his last two seasons.

Badgers building momentum in the 2026 cycle

Adding a player of Latimer’s caliber would be monumental for Fickell and Co. Following a slew of pledges this week, the Badgers now have 11 commits in their 2026 class.

A pair of tight ends in Everett (Wash.) Archbishop Murphy three-star Jack Sievers and Canton (Mich.) Detroit Catholic Central three-star Jack Janda are among the recent additions to the class.

“I was really impressed this weekend with the city and the people in Madison and the culture they’re building,” Janda told On3. “I had some questions going in about their new offensive coordinator but I got those answered. The players were a big part too. Definitely a great group of guys that made it feel like home and all the coaches were really pushing for me and saying they wanted me to be a Badger.”

Cincinnati St. Xavier three-star linebacker Aden Reeder is the top-ranked pledge in the class, checking in as the No. 461 prospect and No. 38 LB this cycle. San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) Mater Dei three-star quarterback Ryan Hopkins is now the No. 27 QB in the nation and has been in the class since April 13.

Three offensive linemen are in the class: Merrillville (Ind.) Andrean three-star IOL Benjamin Novak, Midlothian (Va.) Benedictine three-star OT Maddox Cochrane and Streetsboro (Ohio) IOL Arthur Scott.

Other top commits in the mix include: Fishers (Ind.) three-star cornerback Carsen Eloms, Mishawaka (Ind.) Penn three-star wide receiver Tayshon Bardo, Germantown (Tenn.) three-star defensive lineman Djidjou Bah and Appleton (Wisc.) North linebacker Ben Wenzel. Bah, Scott and Wenzel each committed on June 1.

The class currently ranks No. 46 in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.