Insider's Recruiting Report

Jon Budmayr had a chance to play for Notre Dame's current football god, Charlie Weis. Ironically, it was "a lot of prayer" that led him to commit instead to the University of Wisconsin. The three-year starting quarterback from Marian Central Catholic School in Woodstock, Ill. "” a PrepStar Dream Team All-American "” verbally committed to the Badgers during a visit to Madison this past Saturday. He is the fourth member of the class of 2009, and can sign his letter of intent next February. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Budmayr, who reportedly caught interest from more than 50 schools, had narrowed his short list to include Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Illinois, Northwestern, Nebraska, all offering, plus Iowa, Iowa State and Michigan State. Part of the allure of Wisconsin surely was a chance to play for offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, a superb... READ MORE

Terrelle Pryor is, without question, the best available quarterback for the Class of 2008.  A superlative athlete, he has the skills and size to play virtually every skill position in football or basketball. Terrelle's decision to play for Ohio State has far-reaching implications for the Buckeyes and the rest of the Big Ten. The blow to Michigan is particularly devastating.  Rich Rodriguez, the Wolverines' head coach, uses the spread offense.  Pryor, a natural for this offense, was counted on to be that quarterback next fall.  No Pryor, no established quarterback, or even a decent substitute for next season. Penn State needed the quarterback and, for prestige reasons, a hype for an off recruiting season.  Great coaches don't like off recruiting years. There is another factor to be considered.  Pryor, in the opinion of... READ MORE

Terrelle Pryor has ended all speculation by picking the Ohio State Buckeyes.  He had narrowed his picks to include Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon several weeks ago.  Over the past few days his decision had boiled down to either Ohio State or Penn State. The fact that Ohio State is only a little farther away from his home near Pittsburgh played a role in his decision.  It is any easy drive, a very important fact because his father is wheel-chair bound. Part of the delay appears to be that he wanted his mother to see that relevant schools. There is considerable speculation about the number of seasons Terrelle will play football and whether or not he will play basketball... READ MORE

Terrelle Pryor, the top unsigned football recruit in the nation, will visit Memphis this weekend, according to sources in Memphis. The trip will, reportedly, begin today. Apparently Memphis has been more effective than any other basketball program, and virtually every football program, in persuading Pryor to visit. Memphis is offering Pryor the opportunity to play both sports. Very reliable sources in Memphis report that the potential to earn beaucoup bucks at round ball grossly offsets the risks from playing even one season of Division One football in the Big Ten or any other major football conference. Even if he does survive to take a stab at the NFL, the risk of a serious injury is so great that it doesn't make sense to even try. A curious question involves even trying Memphis. Would spending a season at Memphis be an improvement over sitting out next season until he... READ MORE

The Badgers are in hot pursuit of PrepStar Dream Team All-American offensive tackle Jon Lechner, who plays for Omaha Creighton Prep in Nebraska. Creighton head coach Tom Jaworski said Friday morning that  "Wisconsin had seen his video tapes and was 'very impressed.' Lechner's measurements are 6-foot-6, 313 pounds and he has been timed at 5.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash.   He bench-presses well over 300 pounds and squats 545 pounds. An important point to consider, Jon is only 16 years old, virtually a full year younger than the rest of his class. Jon is expected to fully qualify for Wisconsin.  He takes the ACT in April and projects as something close to a 23 score. Coach Jaworski, who has been around this business since it was first invented, says that "Jon has a huge upside, with all of the skills, including, in... READ MORE

PrepStar Dream Team All-American quarterback Terrelle Pryor, from Jeanette, Pa., has managed to upstage everything going on in the Big Ten since Tender Day. The problem is that three of the best-known powers in the conference -- Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan -- are at the heart of the struggle.  Oh yes, Oregon, a school somewhere out West, has also staked a claim. Every school in the world has taken a stab at recruiting Pryor.  Most recently, Michigan and Oregon were reported, accurately, to have been deleted from consideration. The latest report is that the harried Pryor has put them back on the list and will consider them. Pryor is a big quarterback who is 6-6, 235 pounds and has been timed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash.  He has a qualifying GPA and is not expected to be an academic problem wherever he winds up. Pryor has had a... READ MORE