The Wisconsin Badgers suffered a big recruiting loss over the weekend, as 2026 three-star safety Zachary Taylor flipped to the in-state TCU Horned Frogs.
Taylor, a native of Katy, Texas, had been Wisconsin’s lone safety commit in the class of 2026, having pledged to the program back in June after his official visit to Madison. An elite athlete who posted a 4.39 40-yard dash, Taylor was a high three-star recruit trending to be a four-star in the fall.
However, he’ll now remain in-state, committing to
head coach Sonny Dykes and TCU, where he took an official visit in early May.
“After a lot of thinking and talking over with family and friends, I will be decommitting from the University of Wisconsin, and taking my talents to Texas Christian University! I want to thank my coaches, god, family, and my support system who helped guide me through this difficult process and point me in the right direction,” Taylor posted in a message.
This one comes as a bit of a shocker, leaving the Badgers with no committed safeties heading into the fall. Wisconsin also only has one cornerback committed, three-star Carsen Eloms, in what is turning out to be a rougher class than expected through the summer.
Understanding they were going to take fewer recruits in the current cycle, the Badgers took several big shots with their board, going after some of the top recruits in the country. However, they fell short for Tennessee commit Jowell Combay, Notre Dame commit Nick Reddish, Syracuse commit Chase Geter, Kentucky commit Messiah Tilson, Tennessee commit Jamyan Theodore, and now Taylor.
It will be a crucial Fall for the Badgers, as they turn a new page with their defensive back recruiting in hopes of potentially landing multiple safeties for their 2026 class.
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