BREAKING: Four-Star Tight End Korz Loken Was "Born to be a Badger"

Korz Loken (Iola, Wis./Scandinavia) doesn’t need to go through the typical recruiting process. The Rivals 300 tight end has all but known where he’s headed to play his college football since March of last year.

That moment came when Wisconsin offered Loken a scholarship during an unofficial visit. Over the next 10 months, those feelings about the Badgers only grew stronger, leading to his verbal commitment to head coach Luke Fickell, which actually took place in December.

On Saturday, Loken finally let the world know where he was headed in 2027, announcing his pledge at the Navy All-American Bowl.

“I’ve been having really strong feelings for a while,” Loken told Badger Blitz. “I officially told them a couple of weeks ago. I told my family at Christmas. As soon as the dead period ended, I went and told coach Letton (Nate Letton) and coach ‘Fick.'”

“I always knew it would be amazing to play for the Badgers as a hometown kid. It just means a lot more. The first time they offered me, I just thought, ‘Wow,’ this is an insane opportunity.”

Loken made the two-hour trip south to Madison in December, a rare time for a recruit to unofficially visit. The Badgers had just completed their 2025 season and had no bowl prep. In the offices, attention was beginning to turn towards the transfer portal, which officially opened on Jan. 3.

However, as previously noted, Loken had a hidden agenda and wasn’t there to tour the facilities or learn more about the football program. While meeting with Letton, Loken pulled the trigger on his commitment.

“I was in a meeting with coach Letton, and he was really, really excited,” Loken explained. “I didn’t say it right away. Kind of kept the conversation going for a while. I could tell he was on edge, waiting to see if I’d say it or not.

“But then, he was ecstatic. I was, too.”

Loken added that there wasn’t a real defining moment for Wisconsin during his recruitment. But if one ever came, it would have been November’s upset win over Washington. The Badgers, who received little confidence from outside their own locker room after dropping six consecutive games and 11 straight versus power-four conference opponents, rose up to upset the 23rd-ranked Huskies for the program’s first victory over an Associated Press top 25 team since 2021.

With snow coming down on the Camp Randall Stadium field that evening, fans rushed the field, led by Loken and numerous shirtless recruits.

“We took our shirts off and then stormed the field. I just thought, ‘This is what football is supposed to be,” he said.

“It was amazing to see a couple of guys step up and have the team start winning some games,” said Loken. “I know they had a lot of freshmen out there, which is huge. We’ll now have a ton of returning guys with a lot of experience, and they’re going to be that much better. To get that momentum at the end of the season was great. It obviously helped in recruiting and with the portal.”

Due to an arm injury, Loken had a shortened 2025 season. He caught six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. Loken also carried the ball 16 times for 145 yards and four scores.

Letton relentlessly pursued the four-star tight end throughout his recruitment. For Loken, the in-state product loves Letton’s vision for his future and the fact that he’s not afraid to coach his group hard.

“Coach Letton talks a lot about playing the tight end position the way it’s supposed to be played. Be able to run block, be able to catch passes. In me, I think he sees somebody who can do both of those at an elite level,” said Loken. “He’s gonna turn me into the best tight end he can possibly get me into. I have full confidence and full faith that he’s going to make me great.”

Loken chose Wisconsin over Indiana, Notre Dame, Florida State, Auburn, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, and more. The state’s top-ranked player per the Rivals Industry, Loken said his decision came down to three other schools.

“Second was probably Notre Dame and Indiana,” said Loken. “They made a lot of effort to recruit me. Kansas, also. They all made a great effort to recruit me.

“If I wasn’t born to be a Badger, then maybe that would have been a consideration.”

So why choose Wisconsin, who is coming off a 4-8 season, versus a couple of perennial college football playoff contenders?

“I have a lot of faith in Wisconsin. I love coach Fickell. I love coach Letton. I know that those guys are gonna do whatever they can to get a winning program here,” Loken stated. “Just a lot of the guys here too, I’m really close with a lot of guys on the roster. I know those guys don’t want to lose.

“Surrounding myself with guys who want to be something, be the movement, I feel like my best opportunity to develop and, you know, get as far as I can comes with staying home.”

Loken is the second commitment for Wisconsin in the 2027 class, joining offensive tackle Ethan McIntosh (Verona, Wis.). Loken has a few more targets in mind.

“I’ve already been talking to Cole (Cole Reiter) and Isaac (Isaac Miller) a ton,” said Loken. “I’m hoping I can get them. I’m talking to Will Slagle a lot. I’ll just try and get as many great dudes and great players to join the movement.”

Loken will enroll early at Wisconsin next January. The nation’s eighth-ranked tight end envisions this being the end of his recruitment.

“It feels awesome to have this commitment now,” said Loken. “To be able to start building this class and build my relationships within the program, I think it’s huge. I can go into college with already a year of knowledge and understanding behind me.”