Barnegat offensive lineman Sam Madden, one of the Shore Conference's top recruiting targets from the Class of 2015, verbally committed to Wisconsin on Sunday morning during a visit there.

(Photo by Cliff Lavelle)
(Photo by Cliff Lavelle)
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The 6-foot-7, 345-pound Madden, whose commitment was first reported by 247Sports, is one of three recruits from Barnegat's rising senior class who boast FBS offers. He was a Shore Sports Network third-team All-Shore selection as a junior after battling through a foot injury for much of the season.

The All-Class B South selection helped the Bengals reach their first NJSIAA sectional final in program history, where they fell to Delsea in South Jersey Group III. Barnegat also won a school-record 10 games and its second division title in program history behind a punishing running attack that averaged 232 yards per game led by a mammoth offensive line featuring Madden and SSN first-team All-Shore pick Zach Andrews.

Madden, who had 22 FBS offers, joins Manasquan tight end/linebacker Tanner Cowley (Virginia) and Red Bank Catholic linebacker Jamie Gordinier (Miami) among the FBS verbal commits so far from the Shore Conference Class of 2015. Madden's cousin is former Wisconsin offensive lineman John Moffitt, who was drafted by the Seahawks in 2011, and the Badgers had been a consistent front-runner to land Madden's commitment.

"It's always a school he looked highly on,'' Barnegat coach Rob Davis said. "He met with the head coach (Gary Andersen) yesterday and today, and he's just real happy and relieved."

Madden's teammates, quarterback Cinjun Erskine and outside linebacker Manny Bowen, also have FBS offers, and Bowen has an offer from Wisconsin as well. Madden and Erskine played their freshman year at Holy Spirit before transferring to their hometown team as sophomores and becoming integral parts of the best teams in Barnegat's short program history. Bowen, who played a year at Southern and another at Central before transferring to Barnegat before this past season, was on a visit to South Carolina this weekend.

Madden's commitment gives Barnegat its fourth FBS recruit in the last five seasons, as he joins current Boston College tight end Jarrett Darmstatter, quarterback Nick San Giacomo (committed to Tulane, transferred to Central Connecticut State) and tight end Ryan Morris (committed to Purdue, transferred to Villanova).

 

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