CJ Williams, one of the most-heralded prospects coming out of the 2022 class, committed to Wisconsin via the transfer portal on Thursday.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound freshman played this past fall at USC but entered the portal after just one season with the Trojans. Williams, who was also considering West Virginia and USC, among other schools, visited UW officially earlier this month.
Coming out of Mater Dei (Calif.), Williams was rated a four-star recruit and the No. 47 player in the country. He chose the Trojans over the likes of Notre Dame, Stanford and Texas, among others.
Williams appeared in 10 games for USC this past season and recorded four catches for 34 yards. He joins a receiver room that returns Chimere Dike (656 snaps in 2022), Skyler Bell (608), Keontez Lewis (409) and Dean Engram (108).
“There will be much more involvement with the receivers that are here," offensive coordinator Phil Longo at his most recent availability. "They’ll be given an opportunity to do more just because of the nature of the offense, and I think it will help us recruit guys at the quarterback position, at the tight end position that maybe are a little bit closer to being a hybrid-type tight end. And it will help us recruit receivers because those guys want to do what we do in the offense.
"That’s the way it’s been just about everywhere and I wouldn’t expect it to be any different here. The product that is Wisconsin football is still the same great product. All we’re doing is adding something that might entice them to want to come here and run a route or two.”
In addition to Williams, former Cincinnati wide outs Quincy Burroughs and Will Pauling have also committed to the Badgers this week.
Williams, the highest-rated receiver recruit the Badgers have ever signed, is the 12th scholarship commitment Fickell has landed via the portal this winter.
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