With Wisconsin's 2025 recruiting class now in the books, BadgerBlitz.com takes a look at UW's hot spots on the recruiting front and examines the top targets in a handful of states across the country from the 2026 cycle.

Today, we begin with Illinois, a constant for the Badgers due to its geographical location.

Number of Illinois athletes on the current roster (including the 2025 high school and portal class): 16

Number of known offers extended in Illinois in 2026 class: 16

Hotspot(s): Bolingbrook, Nazareth Academy

Notable past recruits from Illinois: O'Brien Schofield, Scott Tolzien, Kraig Appleton, Jon Budmayr, Warren Herring, Dan Voltz, Garret Dooley, Troy Fumagalli, TJ Edwards, David Edwards, Kendric Pryor, Jack Sanborn, Izayah Green-May, Austin Brown, Darrion Dupree, Kyan Berry-Johnson, Grant Stec and Jaylen Williams, among others.