A look the 14 players so far in Luke Fickell's first recruiting class for the Wisconsin Badgers football team

MADISON - When Luke Fickell was hired as Wisconsin's head coach, there were 25 days left until the start of the early signing period.

Fickell has hit the ground running, reconnecting with prospects he recruited at Cincinnati who decommitted after he resigned from that job, meeting with recruits who committed to UW before he arrived and hosting weekend visits.

The fruits of that labor began to show in December when the Badgers received six commitments during the 10 days before the start of the early signing period, which began Wednesday.

Wisconsin's 2023 class stands at 14 players with more expected to come. The early signing period ends Friday and the regular signing period starts Feb. 1.

Here is a look at the Badgers' commitments:

Trech Kekahuna, receiver

Committed: Dec. 21

Hometown: Honolulu.

High School: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

Height: 5-11

Weight: 185

Ratings: Four stars by Rivals; three stars by ESPN and 247sports.

Senior season: He caught 57 passes for 1,240 yards, a 21.8-yard average, to help his team win a state championship. He initially committed to Wisconsin in June but decommitted Nov. 3. Saturday Kekahuna announced during an ESPNU broadcast of the GEICO Bowl that he planned to sign with Arizona but changed his mind.

Amare Snowden, defensive back

Committed: Dec. 21.

Hometown: Roseville, Michigan

High School: Roseville.

Height: 6-3.

Weight: 188

Rankings: Three stars by ESPN, Rivals and 247sports.

Senior season: A two-sport standout who made 37 tackles, six interceptions and broke up five passes this season while catching 23 passes for 368 yards, a 16-yard average, and three touchdowns He also was a Division I prospect as a baseball player, who played outfield and pitched and hit .400. He previously planned to play both sports at Cincinnati. That obviously won't be possible at UW, which hasn't had a baseball team in decades. "He's a guy who has a lot of flexibility (based on) how he grows and how much stronger he gets. We see him as a corner. We see him as a guy who has a lot of growth potential, but we envision him starting off on the outside and seeing how well he fits into all the things we want to do."

Christian Alliegro, outside linebacker

Committed: Dec. 14.

Hometown: Darien, Connecticut.

High School: Avon Old Farms.

Height: 6-4.

Weight: 215.

Rankings: Three stars from 247sports, Rivals and ESPN.

Senior season: Alliegro accepted a scholarship offer to play lacrosse at Navy before opting to give football another year as a post-graduate student. UW offered him a tight end spot when Paul Chyrst was head coach. When Fickell took over that offer changed to defense. He played safety at Darien High School and moved to middle linebacker at Avon Old Farms. Avon Old Farms coach Jonathan Wholley considered Alliegro a diamond in the rough. “I’m convinced if he came here last year and played for us he would have been a top 300 recruit in the country in my opinion because he would have tested well and other people would have seen him," Wholley said. Fickell also feels Alliegro has a lot of untapped potential. "I still think he's a guy who where he is now and where he can be in two to three years is far different," Fickell said. "He has a lot of growth potential. That's what excites me about him."

Tucker Ashcraft, tight end

Committed: Dec. 13.

Hometown: Seattle, Washington.

High School: O'Dea.

Height: 6-5

Weight: 218

Rankings: Three stars from 247sports, Rivals and ESPN.

Senior season: He caught 19 passes for 335 yards, a 17.63-yard average, and scored four touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who reached the state semifinals. A two-time first-team all-conference performer, he was the team's MVP this year. O'Dea coach Monte Kohler called him the team's best blocker and a great competitor. He was originally committed to Colorado but decommitted Dec. 5, two days after Deion Sanders was hired as head coach.

Braedyn Moore, athlete

Committed: Dec. 12.

Hometown: Hamilton, Ohio.

High School: Badin.

Height: 6-2.

Weight: 189.

Rankings: Four stars from 247sports; three stars from Rivals and ESPN.

Senior season: Moore was set to play for Fickell at Cincinnati but decommitted Nov. 30 and after taking a close look at Indiana and West Virginia decided to join Fickell at UW. A star on both sides of the ball, Moore was his conference's offensive player of the year and the defensive player of the year in the Southwest Ohio District. He caught 79 passes for 1,039 yards, a 13.2-yard average, and rushed for 183 yards on 25 carries, a 13.1-yard average. As a safety, he made 45 tackles, four interceptions and broke up six other passes. "He has all the intangibles to be a great player," Hamilton coach Nick Yordy wrote in an email. "He is tall, long, can run and jump. Was voted team captain by his peers and worked hard every day in school and practice."

Jonas Duclona, defensive back

Committed: Dec. 12.

Hometown: Naples, Florida.

High School: Naples.

Height: 5-11

Weight: 170

Rankings: Three stars from 247sports, Rivals and ESPN.

Senior season: Duclona committed to Cincinnati in June but decommitted Nov. 28, one day after Fickell resigned from Cincinnati. He finished with 40 tackles, 33 solos, two interceptions and seven passes broken up. He posted 105 tackles, seven interceptions and 27 PBUs for his career, according to the Naples Daily News. "What excites me the most is that everybody has a fresh start," he told the newspaper during the school's early signing ceremony this week. "It's a whole new coaching staff and everybody starts in the same place, and I'm going early so I get a chance to compete with them."

Cole LaCrue, quarterback

Committed: Nov. 7.

Hometown: Broomfield, Colorado.

High School: Broomfield.

Height: 6-2.

Weight: 190.

Rankings: Three stars from ESPN, 247sports and Rivals.

Senior season: LaCrue led his team to a state championship, completing 167 of 261 passes (.640) for 2,648 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 808 yards and 20 touchdowns and averaged 6 yards per carry. ESPN rated him the No. 21 dual-threat quarterback in the 2023 class. “He can make all the throws,” Broomfield coach Blair Hubbard told the Journal Sentinel last month. “We have some plays in our schemes where he is throwing 15-yard outs across the field and he puts them right on the money. He throws the deep ball really well. He can throw it sidearm on some screens and those types of things. He is not just going to stand in the pocket and bring it over the top. He is going to do what he needs to do to get the ball to his receivers.” Fickell said that assistant coach Mike Brown, who was part of Fickell's staff at Cincinnati, watched LaCrue play in the state final. "I know when Coach Brown came back from that state championship game, he said this guy is a winner, this guy's is a leader," Fickell said. "For me on top of all the other things, I felt like he fits what we want to do and he's a great fit."

Jace Arnold, defensive back

Committed: June 22.

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia.

High School: Marietta.

Height: 5-9

Weight: 166.

Rankings: Four stars from ESPN; three stars from 247sports and Rivals.

Senior season: Arnold helped his team advance to the second round of the state playoffs. He finished with 39 tackles, 30 solos, with two interceptions and three passes broken up. He hails from Cobb County, Georgia, which had 14 players on NFL rosters to start the season, including Bears quarterback Justin Fields, Raiders tight end Darren Waller and Broncos defensive lineman Bradley Chubb. “Playing in Cobb County and being able to go against good competition every game really helped me and set me apart from a lot of other people,” Arnold told the Marietta Daily Journal last summer. “I know, when I go up to the Big Ten, it’s going to be a smooth transition for me just because I’ve seen a lot of great competition. I’ve moved at a fast pace already.”

A.J. Tisdell, defensive back

Committed: June 16.

Hometown: College Station, Texas.

High School: College Station.

Height: 5-10

Weight: 181

Rankings: Three stars from ESPN, Rivals and 247sports.

Senior season: He has made 61 tackles, intercepted one pass and broke up 13 others to help his team reach the state final this week. Tisdell also plays receiver and returns kicks and punts. He has caught 19 passes for 292 yards, a 15.4-yard average, and three touchdowns.

Jordan Mayer, defensive end

Committed: June 12.

Hometown: Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania.

High School: Thomas Jefferson.

Height: 6-4

Weight: 235

Rankings: Three stars by ESPN, 247sports and Rivals.

Senior season: A state champion as a sophomore, Mayer was an all-state selection as a junior who is expected to be on the 2022 team when it is announced. He finished with 61 tackles, 49 solos, with 11 sacks and 12 hurries. He also got some work at tight end and caught 21 passes for 266 yards, a 12.67-yard average, "Jordan has all the tools to be successful at the next level," Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak wrote. "He is long, athletic and is a relentless worker who absolutely loves football. I have coached many Division I and several NFL athletes during my career. Jordan is as good or better at this stage than all of them."

Nate White, running back

Committed: May 21.

Hometown: Milwaukee.

High School: Milwaukee King.

Height: 6-0.

Weight: 175.

Rankings: Four stars from ESPN. Three stars from 247sports and Rivals.

Senior season: Ran for 1,345 yards in 135 carries, an average of 10 yards per touch, and scored 26 touchdowns for the Generals. He was a first-team all-state pick by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and a second-team selection by the Associated Press. Fickell said White will also run track for the Badgers. "He's a real quiet kid. He's not boisterous at all," King coach Tom Wozniak told the Journal Sentinel earlier this season. "He just goes out there and plays." White was one of the few players Fickell was able to have a home visit with. "Very dynamic as a football player," Fickell said. "He might not look like what some of the historic Wisconsin tailbacks have looked like, but it's amazing what those guys will look like after two years here. He's got the attributes that we're taking about and I think he's got the well-roundedness that makes, from what I know, guys really successful here."

Justin Taylor, defensive back

Committed: May 13.

Hometown: Broadview, Illinois.

High School: Nazareth Academy.

Height: 6-0.

Weight: 184.

Rankings: Three stars from 247sports, Rivals and ESPN.

Senior season: Taylor led Nazareth to the Class 5A state championship and made the Chicago Sun Times' All-Area team. He finished with 31 tackles. He also carried a major load for the team offensively, rushing for 366 yards in 65 carries, a 5.63-yard average, with eight touchdowns and catching 48 passes for 550 yards, an 11.46 average, with four scores. "Extremely versatile player, explosive, and very physical. High football IQ," Nazareth coach Tim Racki wrote. "I believe he will be an asset as a safety at the Big 10 level."

James Durand, offensive line

Committed: May 6.

Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona.

High School: Basha.

Height: 6-5.

Weight: 268.

Rankings: Four stars from 247sports and Rivals; three stars from ESPN.

Senior season: A four-year starter and three-year captain, Durand was the team's overall captain this season and led the Bears to a state championship. "Generational type player to coach ...," Basha coach Chris McDonald wrote. "He's a blessing to coach and Wisconsin is gonna love this kid."

Tyler Jansey, linebacker

Committed: Jan. 28.

Hometown: Batavia, Illinois.

High School: Batavia.

Height: 6-1.

Weight: 224 pounds.

Rankings: Four stars from ESPN. Three stars from Rivals and 247 sports.

Senior season: A two-way star for the Bulldogs, Jansey led his team to the Class 7A state final and a runner-up finish. The all-state selection posted 129 tackles and 17 tackles for a loss in 14 games. He had a team-high nine tackles in the team's loss to Mount Carmel in the state championship game.

More:Badgers football players and recruits departing during coaching changes

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Badgers football coach Luke Fickell's first recruiting class