The Wisconsin Badgers added three-star lineman Ben Barten to their 2020 recruiting class Saturday. Here's what Barten's commitment means for head coach Paul Chryst moving forward.
Skillset
At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, Ben Barten is currently being recruited as a "jumbo athlete" by the Wisconsin coaching staff. Assistants on both sides of the ball - offensive line coach Joe Rudolph and defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield - were able to evaluate the three-star prospect from Stratford High School during camp this past summer.
"As far as position they said it’s just a lineman thing, so it’s undecided and I'm unsure at the moment," Barten told BadgerBlitz.com. "I don't have a preference at all - I just want to play. The feedback from the coaches has been very positive. They like what they have seen from my film and it's awesome when I get to talk to them in person."
Offensively, Barten, who is also a standout basketball player, looks like a potential left tackle because of his footwork and athletic ability. He moves well, has good bend and gets out to the second level, a big reason why Barten's high school coach, Jason Tubbs, thinks he could play multiple spots on the offensive line.
"You think tackle for Ben, but I also think he could play guard or center in college because he reminds me a lot of (Tyler) Biadasz when we played against him at Amherst," Tubbs told BadgerBlitz.com. "He's just a very athletic kid with a high motor. Wisconsin can put him wherever they need him.
"Ben has a really high football IQ with a great motor. When you see his tape this year, you'll see him chase down guys 30 or 40 yards down the field on defense. As an offensive lineman, he's very physical and finishes all his blocks. He'll be good on either side."
Through the lens of a defensive end, Barten, who has 72 tackles and five sacks this fall, is even more intriguing, especially in Wisconsin's 3-4 scheme. Barten's length, athleticism and quickness makes him an ideal fit on that side of the ball for the Badgers in the mold of current sophomore Isaiahh Loudermilk. And when coordinator Jim Leonhard uses formations with just two defensive linemen, Barten would likely be versatile to bump inside at tackle, if needed.
"Ben went down there for Wisconsin's camp two weeks in a row - one for offense and one for defense," Tubbs said. 'He did really well against their 2019 recruits and it kind of went from there. I don't think he's done growing, to be honest with you. His dad is 6-foot-6 and Ben is 6-foot-5 and doesn't shave a lot. To me, he's already a solid 255 pounds and I could see him getting up to 305, or so.
"He reminds of the big, strong kids who end up at Wisconsin. And he's not a heavy-set kid who is 300 pounds in high school. He's got a great frame to add more good weight."
