Wisconsin Badgers Commitment 101: 2021 MLB Bryan Sanborn

The Wisconsin Badgers added three-star middle linebacker Bryan Sanborn to their 2021 recruiting class Friday. Here's what Sanborn's commitment means for head coach Paul Chryst moving forward.

At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Bryan Sanborn has a lot of similarities to his older brother, Jack Sanborn, who is preparing to start at middle linebacker in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. On film, the younger Sanborn, who had 108 tackles and six sacks last fall, looks a bit more stout and compact, solidifying his projection to the inside. He goes north and south well and has great explosion at the point of contact. Sanborn also tracks plays, fights off blockers and finishes tackles with precision.

"He's got natural instincts and I think that's probably what his brother had," Ron Planz told BadgerBlitz.com. "Bryan has a natural understanding of football and has the old-school instincts of playing middle linebacker. And once he decides to go, he goes from zero to 60 so quick for his size. I think that makes him great.

"Once he reads the play and decides to go, it's like he's shot out of a cannon. He just flies to where he's going and with his size and speed, it's usually pretty violent when he gets there."

Sanborn's junior tape doesn't show a ton him dropping into coverage, so that will be something to keep an eye on before he arrives at Wisconsin. But because of his ability to diagnose plays, Sanborn, who will be a three-year varsity starter at Lake Zurich, should be adequate in that department.

Sanborn's ceiling may not be as high as other commits in Wisconsin's 2021 class, but the Badgers are getting a polished player who will likely be able to contribute sooner rather than later.