Quintez Cephus Suing Wisconsin over Treatment in Sexual Assault Investigation
Feb 23, 2021
Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus warms up before an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Former University of Wisconsin wide receiver Quintez Cephus, who now plays professionally for the Detroit Lions, is suing his former school over its handling of a sexual assault investigation against him while he was a student-athlete.
Per Steve Megargee of the Associated Press, Cephus filed the lawsuit in a Madison, Wisconsin federal court and is accusing the university of "violating his due process rights, violating Title IX provisions and breach of contract."
According to Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Dane County (Wisconsin) district attorney's office filed charges against Cephus in 2018.
Those charges were third-degree sexual assault and second-degree sex assault of an intoxicated victim related to two alleged sexual assaults on April 22, 2018, per Genaro C. Armas and Steve Karnowski of theAssociated Press.
Two women that Cephus met earlier that day said that Cephus sexually assaulted them while they were too intoxicated to consent, per Ed Treleven of the Wisconsin State Journal. Cephus said he had consensual sexual encounters with both women.
At trial, he testified that he invited teammate Danny Davis into the room after the sexual encounters because he had never had sex with two women before. Cephus said he told Davis to take a picture of the women, but one of the women became angry and told him to delete the photo.
Cephus was acquitted of all charges in August 2019 and reinstated to the school and the team. The Lions selected him in the 2020 NFL draft.
One of the women has since sued the University of Wisconsin for reversing its previous expulsion decision and allowing him back on the Badger football team.
"The lawsuit filed in federal court in Madison by 'Jane Doe' accused the university and its chancellor of ignoring state and federal law by shutting her out of the process that allowed Cephus to be re-admitted and return to the team," the Associated Press wrote in Sept. 2020.
Per Megargee, Cephus' lawsuit alleges that he would have been drafted earlier and earned more money if he had not been expelled from the university for violating its nonacademic conduct code. The suit argues that the school's Title IX investigation and decision to expel Cephus should have been delayed until after the criminal trial was over and further evidence was released.
Cephus' lawyer, Andrew Miltenburg, told Megargee the 22-year-old is seeking to "set a precedent so that schools are more careful and more diligent in how they proceed on these cases and not just sort of rushing ahead to judgment."
Cephus is seeking "unspecified damages" in his case against the school, per Megargee.
Wisconsin Accidentally Shatters Mayo Bowl Trophy in Locker Room, Video Shows
Dec 30, 2020
FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2019, file photoWisconsin's Graham Mertz reacts to a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Michigan in Madison, Wis. Mertz is about to get his chance to show he’s worthy of all the acclaim that accompanied his arrival on campus last year. Now that foot surgery has sidelined returning starter Jack Coan indefinitely, Mertz is likely to open the season as the 16th-ranked Badgers’ first-team quarterback. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
Wisconsin won the Duke's Mayo Bowl on Wednesday, defeating Wake Forest 42-28. And the Badgers celebrated by...breaking the trophy?
It would appear so:
Wisconsin may be going home empty handed ...
It appears that the trophy from the Duke's Mayo Bowl is shattered 😳
That wasn't the only disappointment. A day after Oklahoma State players poured Cheez-It crackers onto head coach Mike Gundy following their 37-34 win over Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl, plenty of folks hoped Wisconsin would bathe head coach Paul Chryst in mayonnaise.
Turns out the trophy wasn't filled with mayo either. On Wednesday, it was just dollop after dollop of disappointment.
Graham Mertz, Wisconsin Top Wake Forest 42-28 in 2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl
Dec 30, 2020
Wisconsin inside linebacker Jack Sanborn (57) on the field during pregame before an NCAA college football game against Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Wisconsin closed out 2020 on a high note, taking down Wake Forest 42-28 on Wednesday in the 2020 Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Badgers have now won five of their six bowl games under head coach Paul Chryst. They also finished with a winning record (4-3) for the 19th straight year.
Wake Forest hadn't played since Dec. 12 but didn't show any rust as it jumped out to a 14-0 lead after its first two drives. The Demon Deacons offense then ground to a halt, which allowed Wisconsin to tie things up at 14 by halftime.
Defense and special teams won the day for the Badgers. They only gained 266 yards but pulled away in the second half by forcing four turnovers.
To answer the question on everybody's mind, the Wisconsin players didn't dump an entire cooler of mayonnaise on Chryst to celebrate the victory.
Notable Performers
Graham Mertz, QB, Wisconsin: 11-of-17, 130 yards, one touchdown
Jack Dunn, WR, Wisconsin: six receptions, 60 yards
Jack Sanborn, LB, Wisconsin: 11 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception
Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest: 20-of-37, 318 yards, three touchdowns, four interceptions; five carries, eight yards
Wisconsin Offense Plays to Type
Remember when Graham Mertz threw for 248 yards and five touchdowns as Wisconsin hammered Illinois? That feels like a lifetime ago.
It was apparent when the Badgers recorded a 49-11 win over Michigan that Mertz wasn't a significant improvement over his predecessors. Going up against a Wake Forest defense allowing 265.9 passing yards per game didn't provide any sort of boost.
QB Graham Mertz is still jogging to the sideline to get the play calls -- something that began against Indiana because the Hoosiers knew the signals coming in. Something to address, among other things, in the offseason.
It’s crazy to think back to after Wisconsin’s first game and how we thought Mertz was going to make this offense unstoppable. I guess we jumped the gun a bit huh?
Big special teams plays helped set up a pair of Badger touchdowns. Jaylan Franklin blocked a punt in the second quarter to give his team a 1st-and-goal situation at the 9-yard line, and a kickoff return by Devin Chandler in the third quarter set up the offense at Wake's 33-yard line.
The defense then did the heavy lifting.
After Sam Hartman's eight-yard touchdown pass to Jaquarii Roberson to put Wake Forest up 21-14, Wisconsin scored 28 unanswered points. Those four scoring drives totaled 70 yards.
When you have an offense that isn't moving the ball well, just give yourself a short field.
Second-Half Turnovers Costly for Wake
Hartman wasn't very efficient during the regular season, completing 58.9 percent of his passes. He did, however, throw just one interception to 10 touchdowns. That helped the Demon Deacons have a plus-13 turnover margin.
The problem with relying on turnovers is that they can be fickle, and that was the case in the second half as Hartman threw interceptions on four straight drives.
Michael Kern replaced Hartman in the fourth quarter. By then, the damage had already been done. Kern also looked overmatched upon entering the game.
Roberson hauled in an impressive 39-yard grab to get the Demon Deacons into the red zone. A run by Kern went for no gain, and three of his passes fell incomplete to turn the ball over on downs.
Christian Beal-Smith got a consolation touchdown with six seconds remaining.
What's Next?
Wake Forest and Wisconsin open the 2021 season Sept. 4. The Demon Deacons host Old Dominion at Truist Field, while the Badgers jump right into conference play with a home matchup against Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium.
Graham Mertz, Wisconsin Aiming to Rise from Big Ten Threat to Playoff Contender
Nov 18, 2020
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst cheers on his players from the sideline during the first quarter of the team's NCAA college football game against Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
While the coronavirus pandemic led the Big Ten to adjust its 2020 schedule, the delayed start hasn't stopped preseason expectations from coming to fruition. Once again, Wisconsin is the prime challenger to league favorite Ohio State.
However, the route to this familiar spot required a three-week detour. Wisconsin has only played two games because of a coronavirus outbreak within the program. The school—which publicly confirmed 27 cases in an early November press release—rightfully paused the season immediately after it began.
The stoppage cast a cloud of uncertainty on what the team may have a chance to accomplish in 2020. Between hosting Illinois on Oct. 23 and traveling to Michigan last weekend, Wisconsin canceled games with Nebraska and Purdue.
But the Badgers are back. And they look excellent.
Despite a very limited sample, Wisconsin has demanded College Football Playoff attention in those two victories. The earliest returns are incredibly promising.
As always, consider the competition. Illinois has struggled more than expected, and Michigan is a downright disaster. Wisconsin won both games by 38 points.
Wisconsin cruised past Michigan 49-11.
The reason it's notable, though, is Wisconsin rarely wins so handily over Big Ten competition. During the last three seasons, the Badgers notched 21 conference victories, yet defeated only four opponents by 28-plus points—let alone 38. Margin of victory is not indicative of future wins, but it can help reveal a team's upside.
Unsurprisingly, defense is driving the team's success. That, along with a powerful offensive line, is the program's identity.
Wisconsin surrendered just 16.9 points per game in 2019 and has ceded only 11 points in two contests so far (Illinois scored its only touchdown on a fumble recovery). Illinois and Michigan finished with 218 and 219 yards, respectively.
What has regularly crushed the Badgers on the biggest stage—specifically the Big Ten Championship Game—however, is a scoring attack that simply isn't dangerous enough.
Head coach Paul Chryst is an underrated offensive mind. Some coaches seemingly pick plays at random, but Chryst actually runs an offense. While the foundation is power-run schemes, he mixes in jet sweeps and misdirection while setting up play-action passes (and screens, lots of screens).
Nevertheless, a power-run emphasis—even as the offense has modern elements—is an easy target when it fails in today's spread-dominated era. And sometimes, deservedly so.
But a great quarterback makes an enormous difference.
After two appearances, Graham Mertz isn't suddenly the best quarterback in the country. He's a tremendous fit for what the Badgers want to accomplish, though.
It's true Wisconsin hasn't needed Mertz to push the ball downfield. Through two games, the degree of difficulty on his attempts is generally low. When you can throw the ball five yards and still pick up 15, there's nothing wrong with taking what the defense gives you. And in lopsided games, quarterbacks aren't launching deep passes.
Still, discounting his clean footwork, calm presence and near-impeccable decision-making would be foolish. Mertz's confidence, command and arm talent are obvious—and have translated to 8.7 yards per attempt with seven touchdowns and zero turnovers.
If he sustains this level of performance, the Badgers will finish the six-game regular season unbeaten. Sure, it's half of a normal year, but they play at 4-0 Northwestern, host 4-0 Indiana and travel to Iowa after having two weeks of practice disrupted midseason. That's no small accomplishment.
And it would put Wisconsin on the brink of the CFP.
A final conference victory has eluded the Badgers, who have four losses in the Big Ten title game during the six-year CFP era. Plus, as consistent as the program has been, only in 2017 did Wisconsin truly have a CFP chance when the 12-0 Badgers fell to Ohio State. The team entered the other Big Ten Championship Games (2014, 2016, 2019) at 10-2 each time.
Oddly enough—yet in perfect "2020" fashion—Wisconsin might only need to keep it close in Indianapolis.
At this point in the season, two of the four CFP spots are effectively sealed. The ACC should send its champion (Notre Dame or Clemson), and Alabama is the SEC favorite over Florida. If you project Ohio State to win the Big Ten, that's three.
But if Notre Dame loses to North Carolina and/or is destroyed by a Trevor Lawrence-led Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, the Irish would have a less compelling case. The Big 12 is an Oklahoma State loss away from each of its programs having two-plus letdowns, and the Pac-12—with a similar six-plus-one schedule to Wisconsin, potentially—might not finish with an unbeaten team.
You may be convinced an undefeated Cincinnati or BYU deserves a CFP spot, and that's a relevant discussion. But nobody can say with certainty it will happen. Every year, the CFP selection committee favors one-loss Power Five teams to unbeaten Group of Five schools. Like it or not, that's the committee's preference.
Without question, the Badgers' optimal playoff path is beating Ohio State for the conference crown to cap a 7-0 record. That would leave no room for argument about the team's merit.
Unlike years past, however, Wisconsin has multiple routes to the playoff. If the Badgers thrive in the regular season with a hyped quarterback and elite defense, they'll be in the top-four discussion all the way to Selection Day.
Alvarez: Wisconsin Has 'A Handle' on COVID-19 Outbreak Ahead of Michigan Game
Nov 9, 2020
Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez on the field before an NCAA college football game against Michigan at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Wisconsin Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez said Monday the school is "confident that we have a handle on the situation" after a COVID-19 outbreak within the football team led to the cancellation of games against Nebraska and Purdue the past two weekends.
The plan is to play Saturday's scheduled matchup against Michigan.
"We had no new positives on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was a great sign," he added. "That's when we started thinking Friday could be a day we could get the team together to start doing things with an eye towards having a regular practice week this week. So we were cautious on Friday and Saturday, split guys into groups, and just did conditioning. The team then got together and held its regular Monday practice this morning."
Wisconsin shut down all team activities on Oct. 28 and currently has five active coronavirus cases—two players and three staff members. The school announced that it has had no new positive tests in five of the past six days.
At the time of the Purdue cancelation, Wisconsin hadregistered27 active coronavirus cases (15 athletes, 12 staff members) since Oct. 24. Head coach Paul Chryst was among those who tested positive.
It remains to be seen if quarterback Graham Mertz will be able to play against Michigan.
"Graham, the way that this is timing out, he's starting that process of coming back," Chrysttold reportersMonday. "His tests are all done. I think he'll be able to have some practice and we'll see if it's enough practice time."
Something to keep in mind for Wisconsin's game against Michigan is which players are even available to play because of COVID-19 cases and the Big Ten 21-day protocol. Chryst: "We’ll have some guys probably get some snaps that three weeks ago weren’t probably in that position."
The No. 13 Badgers have played one game this season, beating Illinois 45-7.
Wisconsin vs. Purdue Canceled Due to Badgers' 27 Active COVID-19 Cases
Nov 3, 2020
Camp Randall Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Badgers, is seen Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Madison, Wis. Less than five weeks after pushing NCAA college football and other fall sports to spring in the name of player safety during the pandemic, the conference changed course Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, and said it plans to begin its season the weekend of Oct. 23-24. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin announced its game Saturday against Purdue is canceled as the program continues to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak.
The Badgers had to cancel their Oct. 31 clash with Nebraska for the same reason.
Athletic director Barry Alvarez released a statement regarding the matter:
"I share in the disappointment of our student-athletes and staff. We have seen a level of improvement in our testing numbers, but not enough to give us confidence to resume normal activities and play our game on Saturday. We will continue to test regularly, take the proper health-related precautions and look forward to getting our team back on the field as soon as possible."
He further discussed the cancellation later on Tuesday, noting the safety of the student-athletes and staff is "top priority":
#Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez talks about the cancellation of Saturday’s game and the new protocol methods he plans to bring to the program. pic.twitter.com/mXtXTgYLdK
— FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin (@FanDuelSN_WI) November 3, 2020
Purdue AD Mike Bobinski also addressed the situation in a statement:
"While we looked forward to our game this weekend against Wisconsin, we understand the Badgers' decision to cancel based on medical advice and their need to control any additional transmission of the virus within their team and staff. The health, well-being and safety of all student-athletes, coaches and staff remains the top priority for the entire Big Ten and will continue to guide decision-making."
Having initially canceled the fall football season, the Big Tenannounced in Septemberit would go through with an eight-game conference-only schedule.
"The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition," the conference said.
Wisconsin's circumstances illustrate how tenuous the situation remains despite those more stringent protocols.
A Big Ten student-athlete who tests positive can't play for at least 21 days. One positive test can potentially keep a player out for more than a third of the season. Have multiple players test positive and the problem becomes obvious.
As part of its COVID-19 protocols, the Big Ten requires teams to stop practice for at least seven days when they have a positivity rate of more than 5 percent over a seven-day rolling average. Simply returning to practice is a challenge for Wisconsin.
The Athletic'sStewart Mandelnoted the Badgers can still win the Big Ten West division as long as they play six games this season. The team can hit that threshold by playing the remainder of its schedule.
The extent to which the outbreak has spread raises doubt over whether Wisconsin's Nov. 14 matchup with No. 23 Michigan is in jeopardy as well.
Wisconsin Football Up to 22 Positive COVID-19 Cases, AD Barry Alvarez Says
Oct 31, 2020
Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez on the field before an NCAA college football game against Michigan at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
University of Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said Saturday on ESPN College GameDay the football program is up to 22 positive COVID-19 tests—12 players and 10 staff members.
According to Jesse Temple of The Athletic, that number is up from the 16 positives tests that Wisconsin reported Thursday.
As a result of the positive tests, Wisconsin's scheduled game against Nebraska on Saturday was canceled. Alvarez said Saturday that a decision will be made Tuesday regarding next Saturday's game between Wisconsin and Purdue.
The start of the Big Ten's 2020 season was delayed because of concerns related to COVID-19, but it finally got underway last week.
Wisconsin came out of the gates hot with a 45-7 win over Illinois. Starting in place of injured quarterback Jack Coan, Graham Mertz completed 20 of his 21 attempts for 248 yards and five touchdowns in the No. 9 Badgers' victory.
It wasreportedSunday that Mertz tested positive for COVID-19. He was the only player or staff member reported to have tested positive at that time, but several other positive tests have come in since then, with head coach Paul Chryst being one of them.
Any player who tests positive for COVID-19 in the Big Ten is required to miss a minimum of 21 days, meaning Mertz would have missed this week's game against Nebraska had it been played and won't be eligible to play next week against Purdue either if that game happens.
Mertz's backup, Chase Wolf, also tested positivefor COVID-19. As a result, redshirt junior Danny Vanden Boom will likely get the start for the Badgers next week provided the game occurs and he doesn't test positive for COVID-19.
The Big Ten is already playing a shortened season with eight conference games per team during the regular season followed by a Big Ten Championship Game and the other teams playing a ninth game that same week.
The fact that the Badgers have missed one game already puts their College Football Playoff chances in jeopardy, but missing two or more could make it extremely difficult for the selection committee to put them in the CFP field.
Wisconsin vs. Nebraska Canceled After Badgers Pause Activities Due to COVID-19
Oct 28, 2020
Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst talks to his players during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The University of Wisconsin announced Wednesday that it is suspending all activities for its football team for at least seven days, meaning its scheduled game against Nebraska on Saturday will be canceled.
A statement from Wisconsin Football said that 12 people within the football program have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past five days, including head coach Paul Chryst.
Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said the following regarding the decision to call off Saturday's game:
"We have said from the beginning that the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff members comes first. Over the past several days we have seen a rising number of student-athletes and staff contract the virus. The responsible thing for us to do is to pause football-related activities for at least seven days."
ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported earlier this week that Wisconsin starting quarterback Graham Metz had tested positive for COVID-19 as well.
It was also reported that backup quarterback Chase Wolf tested positive for COVID-19, meaning redshirt junior Danny Vanden Boom is the top healthy quarterback on Wisconsin's roster.
Jack Coan, who was supposed to be the starter in 2020, is out after undergoing surgery on his foot earlier this month.
In Wisconsin's season-opening 45-7 win over Illinois last week, Mertz put up big numbers, as he completed 20 of his 21 attempts for 248 yards and five touchdowns. After testing positive for COVID-19, however, Mertz will reportedly be out a minimum of 21 days.
The 2020 Big Ten football season originally wasn't supposed to occur until the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the conference voted to play football in the fall. As a result, Big Ten play got off to a late start and didn't begin until last week.
Because of that late start, all Big Ten teams are playing a conference-only schedule of eight games. The top two teams will then meet in the Big Ten Championship Game with the other teams each playing a ninth game that week as well.
Since there is no room for rescheduling in the Big Ten because of the condensed nature of the schedule, the Wisconsin vs. Nebraska game has been canceled rather than moving it to a later date.
With the No. 9 Badgers now playing at least one game fewer than most of their Big Ten counterparts, it could impact their case to make the College Football Playoff.
Wisconsin's next scheduled game is at home against the Purdue Boilermakers on Nov. 7.
Graham Mertz Tosses 5 TDs in 1st Career Start as No. 14 Wisconsin Routs Illinois
Oct 23, 2020
Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Wisconsin redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz completed his first 17 passes en route to 248 passing yards and five touchdowns as the No. 14 Badgers defeated Illinois 45-7 at Camp Randall Stadium.
Mertz, who finished 20-of-21 passing, appeared in two games last season but made his first career start Friday. He found Jake Ferguson for three touchdowns and Danny Davis and Mason Stokke for one apiece.
Stokke grabbed the first score off a wheel route down the sideline from 10 yards out:
Mertz's 17 straight completions tied a Wisconsin record and earned him third place on a Big Ten list, per ESPN Stats & Info:
Graham Mertz finished with 17 straight completions. That is tied for the most consecutive completions in a game in Wisconsin history. (Tanner McEvoy vs Western Illinois in 2014)
His 17 straight completions are also the 3rd-longest streak in a conference game in Big Ten history. pic.twitter.com/ASXT7APXr0
He also achieved a first for any Wisconsin quarterback making his debut when he threw his fourth touchdown, per Wisconsin Assistant Director of Brand Communications Brian Mason:
The fifth one tied a program record, per Jesse Temple of The Athletic:
Just for good measure, Graham Mertz drops in his FIFTH touchdown pass of the night, a 3-yarder to tight end Jake Ferguson. That ties the single-game program record for touchdown passes. Mertz: 20 of 21 for 248 yards and five TDs. The guy can sling it.
Mertz went 9-of-10 the year before in limited action, but his final nine passes were completions, meaning he connected on 26 straight attempts from last year through Friday.
He could have finished with a perfect showing if not for a drop, per Ryan Glasspiegel of Outkick:
Graham Mertz had one incompletion tonight and it was a drop on a declined holding penalty. This is going to be a wild run for the Badgers.
The Badgers also enjoyed an excellent defensive night en route to shutting out the offense. Illinois' lone score came off a fumble return for a second-quarter touchdown from Tarique Barnes.
Mertz and the Badgers will now go on the road to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium.
5-Star OT Prospect Nolan Rucci Commits to Wisconsin over Penn State
Sep 8, 2020
Wisconsin's Bucky Badger waves a flag before an NCAA college football game against Florida Atlantic Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Nolan Rucci, one of the top offensive lineman in the class of 2021, announced his decision to attend Wisconsin on Tuesday on CBS Sports HQ:
"The development is obvious as you see with the guys they put in the NFL in recent years."
A 5-star recruit, according to 247Sports, the Lititz, Pennsylvania, native is ranked 14th overall nationally and is the top player in his state. All of college football's top programs were after the 6'8", 295-pound tackle. Aside from Wisconsin, Rucci had offers from Penn State, Alabama, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Ohio State and Michigan.
It made sense that Penn State and Wisconsin were high on Rucci's list, given his ties to both schools. Hayden Rucci, Nolan's brother, is a tight end for the Badgers, while his father, former NFLer Todd Rucci, played on Penn State's offensive line. The eldest Rucci is a former second-round draft pick and member of the New England Patriots from 1993-99 who started in Super Bowl XXXI.
Count 247Sports among those who are exceedingly bullish on Rucci, with the site's evaluators calling him a potential first-round NFL pick and an "elite-level player who can get on field as freshman."
With that kind of hype, it's no wonder why the best of college football is fighting over themselves to give Rucci a scholarship.
Watching that potential develop over the next few years on the field should have Badgersfans thrilled with his decision.
