University of Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema is still working to finish his sixth recruiting class as the program added 20 players on signing day with its typical mix of undervalued pros-pects despite a big season.
Wednesday's group includes nine in-state players, five from Ohio and six players from five other states in an effort to continue bolstering depth at Wisconsin, fresh off its first Rose Bowl appearance in 11 years.
"Our class is really strong in the state of Wisconsin," Bielema said. "Our (returning) Wisconsin kids are our heart and soul, and those other guys buy in and build around that."
Wisconsin again grabbed the top talent in the state, including running back Melvin Gordon, but also signed notables from Ohio, including defensive end Austin Traylor and wide receiver/cornerback Darius Hillary.
Bielema said the key for his program now that it has reached a BCS bowl game is not to stray from its principles of finding talent that fits the Badgers' style.
Bielema says most of the latest recruits were committed before the Badgers (11-2) won a share of the Big Ten title that ended with a 21-19 loss to TCU in the Rose Bowl.
"The majority of them were already in our program before really the season ever began to go along," Bielema said. "I think Melvin Gordon is a guy that, yeah, if we didn't have a special year, I don't know if he would've switched courses and gone our way."
But the coach who is 49-16 in his first six years said that the Badgers' win over then-No. 1 Ohio State provided a bump that may be seen in future classes.
"I think to beat Ohio State the way we did was big," Bielema said of the 31-18 victory. "One big thing we have to constantly do is just because we've had success, don't change what we did."
As usual, Wisconsin attracted much of the top local talent, including Gordon, linebacker Jake Keefer, tight end Sam Arneson and the state's AP high school player of the year, linebacker Derek Watt.
There's also a lot of family connections in this year's class. Watt has an older brother who starred at Wisconsin. Arneson's father, Dave, and linebacker Jordan Fredrick's father, Craig, played football for the university, while defensive end Jesse Hayes' father was an assistant coach for the Badgers from 1995 to '98.
Watt is not quite as tall or heavy as his brother, former defensive end J.J. Watt, who declared for the NFL Draft in January.
