Badgers Sign 18 to LOIs; DE Cooper Gets Last Chance

The Wisconsin program is a testament to the ridiculous overhype that surrounds National Signing Day.

Never do the "top recruiting analysts" mention Wisconsin's haul as being anything notable. That said, the Badgers are annually among the nation's best teams. Wisconsin won ten games in 2005, then followed it up with a school-record 12 wins in Bret Bielema's (right) first season as head coach.

You don't need an overhyped recruiting class to make noise nationally. You need to find kids that fit your systems and that you believe will mature both on and off the field.

Again in 2007, Wisconsin has announced a recruiting class that no one around the country is talking about. One has to figure that this class will be no worse than any other understated Wisconsin class.

The most recognizable name on the list is Middleton, Wisconsin, wide receiver Nick Toon. Nick's father, Al, was a star wideout at Wisconsin before he moved on to play for the NFL's New York Jets. Milwaukee's Josh Oglesby was listed by Scouts, Inc., as the second-best offensive tackle in the nation.

Just to aggravate Gopher fans, Bielema signed two more star players from Minnesota. Robbinsdale Armstrong wide receiver David Gilreath was all-state twice. Better yet (for Wisconsin, that is), Eden Prairie linebacker Blake Sorensen was named "Mr. Football" by the Minnesota State High School Football Coaches Association. He led his team to back-to-back Class 5A (big school) titles in Minnesota.

In other Wisconsin news on Wednesday, it was announced by Bielema that defensive end Jamal Cooper, plagued by injuries and academic problems, has one more chance to make the necessary academic progress and remain eligible for football. Bielema told the assembled media that Cooper has to meet "certain requirements" to be allowed to join the program this summer and play his senior season in 2007. Cooper is a very athletic defensive lineman, but his academic shortcomings have drawn Bielema's ire multiple times since he took over the program. Cooper was suspended for the 2006 season opener against Bowling Green because of a lack of progress academically.