Northwestern lost its third commit since the dismissal of Pat Fitzgerald when Joliet (Ill.) Catholic defensive tackle Dillan Johnson announced his pledge to Wisconsin on Wednesday.
Johnson indicated he may be reconsidering his pledge to the Wildcats when reacting to Fitzgerald's dismissal on Monday, but few could have predicted how quickly he would take action.
"I’m sad to hear the things that happened at Northwestern and at this moment I’m talking to my parents about it," Johnson said at the time.
Two days later Johnson found a new home in Wisconsin where he will compete as both a football player and wrestler for the Badgers. Wisconsin was heavily involved in Johnson's recruitment prior to his initial commitment and his familiarity with both the program and coaches appears to have made the decision an easy one.
"Overall, I like the coaches at Wisconsin and the program. It just made the most sense to go to that school. I was excited to pursue my goals at Wisconsin."
While the Badgers are adding a key cog to their defensive line room, the Wisconsin wrestling program may be the biggest benefactor of Johnson's pledge as he is arguably the top heavyweight wrestling prospect in the country. The opportunity to wrestle at Wisconsin was another key factor in his decision to become a Badger.
"Coach (Chris) Bono and (Jon) Reader are top notch. They, like Michigan wrestling coach (Sean) Bormet, were always consistent with believing in my ability to compete. DJ (Hamiti) - my former teammate and the guy who put us on the map is there too. I’m in a good situation."