Wisconsin’s Jersey connection continues with Jalen Berger

SAN ANTONIO – One of the most anticipated commitment announcements of the 2020 All American Bowl was that of running back Jalen Berger. The Rivals100 prospect did not sign in the Early Period like many of his fellow announcers on Saturday, and which direction his decision would go held high intrigue. Berger ended the suspense, announcing for Wisconsin during the game's telecast.

Berger came to San Antonio with his mind already made up, and the sense as the week wore on was that Wisconsin was going to come away with this commitment after Rutgers had held momentum for the previous month following Greg Schiano’s hire. Berger took an official visit to Wisconsin back in November, and recently said about that visit that he got a great vibe and was intrigued by the Badger’s incoming offensive line class. Two of those prospects – four-stars Trey Wedig and Jack Nelson – are also in San Antonio this week partaking in the All-American Bowl. Berger would also take an official visit to UCLA in December and was intrigued by the Bruins’ offense, but the distance from home may have been too great there. Rutgers was hoping to have Berger be the jewel of its 2020 class. Schiano made an in-home visit, but Berger did not get back on-campus in Piscataway after the hire was announced.

“For the next 3-4 years I will be attending the University of Wisconsin. I just felt very comfortable at Wisconsin. I built a great relationship with coach (John) Settle and coach (Paul) Chryst and the offensive line is amazing, so Wisconsin is the place for me.”

Wisconsin just said goodbye to their two-time Doak Walker Award winner Jonathan Taylor, who announced his intentions to enter the NFL Draft earlier this week. There will be plenty of comparisons made between Taylor and Berger because they both hail from New Jersey, but in reality they have different styles and bring different skill sets to the position. Berger relishes his opportunities to be a receiver out of the backfield along with carrying the football, and is a back who can be moved all around the offense. He is probably not going to get the ball 20-plus times a game, and thus not likely to eclipse Taylor or Ron Dayne, another New Jersey native, in the Badger’s all-time rushing record books. What Berger can do, however, is make the Wisconsin offense more dynamic by giving it a versatile playmaker who can strike from anywhere on the field.