Wisconsin Football: The 2025 Elite CB is still a strong favorite to arrive in Madison.

The Wisconsin football staff has fought hard to land top recruits in the 2025 class, and it might be working on a premier defensive recruit.

Tariq Hayer, a 2025 four-star corner back from Washington, D.C., has been high on the Badgers since first meeting with coach Colin Hitschler. Despite the staff changes, Hayer still remains firmly interested in the Wisconsin football program. Hayer could become a Badger sooner than most thought as the corner back recently received a crystal ball prediction.

Tariq Hayer, a four-star quarterback for Wisconsin football, is building on his growing connection.

The Wisconsin football staff and 2025 four-star corner back Tariq Hayer go back over a year now and have developed quite the relationship. Hayer is a dynamic, aerial threat on defense and has long been a major target within the 2025 class for the Badgers. Hayer clocks in at the 114th recruit nationally and the second-overall recruit in the D.C. area.

Wisconsin initially began recruiting Hayer by inviting the recruit to their ‘Bucky’s Barbecue’ event last July, which brought together some of the top recruiting targets for the Badgers.

What Immediate Effect Might Hayer Have on the Wisconsin Badgers Football Team?

Often times in college football nowadays, Freshman can have a difficult time making an impact for their team early on. Between the size of the roster, extra eligibility, and the transfer portal, underclassmen truly have to work their tails off in order to make it onto the field during their first season of play. For some recruits however, there could be a chance in store for them with the right team.

In the case of Hayer, Wisconsin football recruited the 6-foot, 175-pound corner back in hopes of landing their next slot corner. Hayer has the speed, length, and instincts to become an excellent corner back within the Badgers defense, which leaves an opportunity for him to do so as a Freshman. Wisconsin will likely lose both of their starting corner backs to the NFL Draft following the 2024 season, which also gives Hayer a chance at playing.