MADISON – The weekend wasn’t a complete loss for the Wisconsin Badgers.
While UW suffered its first shutout loss to Iowa since 1996, its staff scored on the recruiting trail on Oct. 12 when Yahya Gaad announced his commitment to the program.
The news was reported first by Rivals.
— Yahya Gaad 🇪🇬 (@yahyagaad5) October 11, 2025
Gaad, a 6-5, 250-pound defensive lineman from Medina, Tennessee, made an official visit to the Badgers this weekend. He was previously committed to UCLA but decommitted after DeShaun Foster was fired as head coach last month.
According to Rivals, he chose UW over Mississippi, Florida State and Colorado.
Gaad is the 16th member of the Badgers’ 2026 class. He is considered a three-star recruit by 247sports, Rivals and On3.
He is the second 2026 recruit who committed to UW after an in-season official visit. Former Oregon State commit Donovan Dunmore, a defensive back from Fresno, Calif, committed Sept. 22 after visiting the weekend of the Maryland loss.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former UCLA recruit Yahya Gaad commits to Fickell, Wisconsin football
