Wisconsin
What Aden Reeder’s commitment means for the Wisconsin football’s 2026 class
Aden Reeder fits what Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers’ defense is looking for in their growing crop of linebackers.
The 6-foot-3, 205 pound recruit announced his commitment to Wisconsin on Monday.
His junior Hudl film shows him working off the edge at outside linebacker for Cincinnati St. Xavier, but he also played off the ball and could accelerate downhill into the backfield. He finished with 72 tackles, 14½ tackles for loss and three sacks last season, according to MaxPreps.
Reeder is now projected to work within the inside linebacker group for defensive coordinator Mike Tressel. His frame and athleticism is similar to current Badgers backers Christian Alliegro (6-foot-4, 245 pounds), Thomas Heiberger (6-foot-4, 233 pounds), Landon Gauthier (6-fo3, 235) and incoming four-star freshman Mason Posa (listed at 6-foot-3 on Hudl).
Reeder is the first projected inside linebacker for this recruitng cycle to commit to the program, but the Badgers have also pursued a few others at his position.
Predicting just how many off-ball linebackers Wisconsin will take at this point is difficult, especially when weighing in how the staff evaluates the position group after the regular season and if there are any future transfer portal decisions at that time that could affect depth.
One 2026 target is Mason Marden, who just unveiled his top five last week and listed Wisconsin among his top schools. A decision is forthcoming in weeks’ time for Marden, and Badgers coaches visited both Marden and Reeder last week.
Linebacker TJ White, a four-star recruit from Mississippi, also tweeted in February that he would take an official visit to Wisconsin the weeknd of May 29-June 1. He announced official visits to Tennessee (June 13-15) and Mississippi State (June 20-22) as well, and he took one to North Carolina last month.
There’s also Ben Wenzel, the in-state standout from Appleton North who has not announced an offer from Wisconsin. He tweeted earlier this month that he’ll take an official visit the weekend of May 29-June 1.
I will be in Madison may 29th-june 1st for my OV! 🔒@TufBorland @CoachMikeTress @CoachFick @PatLambert13 pic.twitter.com/oGZRDBb3Ux
— 𝔹𝕖𝕟 𝕎𝕖𝕟𝕫𝕖𝕝 (@wenzel_ben7) May 4, 2025
Reeder had declared Power Four offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin since January.
He previously set an official visit for June 5-8 at Wisconsin, but Minnesota and Iowa were also in line for official visits.
Wisconsin has competed with both conference foes on the recruiting trail often. The Gophers received an early commitment within the Badger State from Janesville Parker offensive lineman Gavin Meier, who Wisconsin pursued heavily at the start of this year.
Iowa also holds a Wisconsin native among its 2026 commits in Winneconne wide receiver Brody Schaffer. Schaffer had not announced an offer from Wisconsin, though he was expected to visit in the spring before his early commitment.
Other recruiting targets shared by the Badgers and Hawkeyes include defensive lineman King Liggins (Chicago Brother Rice) and safety Messiah Tilson (Rockford Guilford).
We’re still months away from the 2026 early signing period with a busy summer official visit period coming in a matter of weeks, but Wisconsin ranks 38th in the nation by 247Sports composite rankings as of May 12. That’s the highest by an outlet (On3 has Wisconsin as 42nd in the country and Rivals 43rd after Reeder’s commitment).
In terms of number of recruits who gave commitments up to May 12, Wisconsin now is sitting in line with the 2024 and 2025 classes. The 2024 class, Fickell’s first as Badgers coach, had seven verbal commitments as of May 12, 2023.
Wisconsin’s 2025 class had 10 commits at this time last year, though slot receiver Cam Miller announced May 15 his commitment to the program.
That said, three of those early 2025 commits – Miller, quarterback Landyn Locke and linebacker Brenden Anes – eventually did not sign with the program.
Wisconsin’s current 2026 commits are as follows:
Wisconsin
President Trump endorses Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor
President Donald Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, in his bid to be the next governor of Wisconsin.
Trump announced the endorsement Tuesday night, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Tiffany had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
“He will fight to advance Common Sense Values, and put WISCONSIN, AND AMERICA, FIRST,” Trump wrote.
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The endorsement puts to bed the questions of whether — and when — Trump would weigh in on the GOP primary for governor.
Tiffany, who has represented northern Wisconsin’s 7th District in Congress since 2020, was considered an early favorite to clinch the Republican nomination against Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, but recent fundraising numbers suggested Schoemann could put up a fight.
The backing from Trump has proven critical in Republican primaries across the country, and it’s almost certain to give Tiffany a boost. Four years ago, Trump’s endorsement helped propel businessman Tim Michels over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in the 2022 GOP primary for governor.
But whether the president’s nod is a help or a hindrance in the general election is an open question, especially in a cycle that polling suggests could favor Democrats. Four years ago, Michels lost to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the general election. And almost immediately after Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin looked to seize on the president’s support of Tiffany as a condemnation.
“We agree with Donald Trump—Tom Tiffany has been by his side for all of it: ICE murdering Americans in the streets, the Big Ugly Bill, ending funding for the Affordable Care Act, invading Greenland, and raising every day costs,” read a statement from state Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker. “Donald Trump just made Tom Tiffany the general election nominee, and we will stop him from bringing his chaotic and dangerous agenda in November.”
At least seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for governor, where many of them have made attacking Trump central to their campaigns. The winner of the general election will replace Evers, who is not seeking a third term.
Trump’s announcement came as part of a slate of endorsements posted to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday evening. He also endorsed Michael Alfonso, who is running for Tiffany’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in Congress.
Alfonso is the 25-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy, who represented the 7th District before Tiffany. He’s one of four Republicans running to replace Tiffany.
Trump called Alfonso “a young ‘STAR’.”
In a post on X, Alfonso wrote that it is his “greatest honor to accept this endorsement from President Donald J. Trump,” and pledged “to be a steadfast MAGA warrior.”
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Wisconsin
Polaris to lay off 200 Wisconsin workers, close facility in Osceola
The move comes after Polaris announced it was separating from Indian Motorcycle.
Powersports company Polaris has announced it plans to wind down the operations at its facility in Osceola which specializes in manufacturing Indian Motorcycle.
The move impacts roughly 200 Wisconsin workers at the facility.
On Jan. 27, during a fourth quarter and full year earnings call for 2025, Polaris said the company expects to sell Indian Motorcycle by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to Carolwood, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles. However the company plans to maintain some stake in the company.
Polaris officials said called the sale of Indian Motorcycle was a “difficult decision” and added it was a “move that we believe is best for Polaris and Indian Motorcycle.”
In a post on X, Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin said:
“We have seen this story in Wisconsin too many times – a private equity firm buys a company, hollows it out, & fires its workers, all to pad their profits. It’s simply wrong.”
Wisconsin
Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case
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