The University of Wisconsin football coaching staff isn’t leaving any stone unturned on the recruiting trail. It’s ability to identify talent and go after it regardless of circumstances and do their own evaluations are quickly becoming a trademark of this coaching staff.
It was proven true once again, as the Badgers got their 21st commitment of the 2016 recruiting class. This time it came from one of the most unusual of circumstances, as Quintez Cephus, a one-time Furman basketball commit made his choice to play football for the Wisconsin Badgers instead.
It's official I'm a badger boy!!!🔴🔴🔴#OnWisconsin
— Quintez Cephus (@QoDeep_87) November 13, 2015
Cephus told the world last week that he would choose football over basketball, but it became a two-team battle for the 6-2, 180-pound wide receiver. Wisconsin battled Georgia Tech, who showed major interest but had not pulled the trigger on an offer to date.
The Badgers won out over basketball and may have found the type of diamond in the rough that pays major dividends down the road at a position that has proven difficult to recruit top talent to.
Wisconsin made Chepus a priority on the recruiting trail, with wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore paying a visit to Chepus earlier this week. It took just days for the recruit to make his choice and the Badgers now have three wide receivers in this class.
UW is now ranked No. 29 in the national 247Sports composite rankings and No. 6 in the Big Ten team rankings.
Our Thoughts:
No doubt that Chepus stayed under the radar thanks to his initial want to play basketball over football. However, the Badgers did a heck of job in identifying the overall athletic ability and his raw skill at the wide receiver position. Credit them for kicking the tires and making Chepus realize his greater future would be in football over basketball at the next level.
As for Chepus’ abilities? He’s got a very nice body size to work with and he also is showing an ability to not shy away from contact. If you’re being evaluated and offered at both basketball and football there is clear overall athletic ability. That ability shows through on the tape we can see, but what also shows is that he will need a lot of work in the route running area.
Interestingly enough, what impresses me most about the film we see is how much of a ball hawk and how natural of a player he is as a defensive back. While he has the body for wide receiver, it will be interesting to see if that is where he actually stays come later on in his career.
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