Wisconsin’s Shocking Kah’ni Watts Flip: Houston Left in the Dust—What’s Next?

Kah’ni Watts, a solid three-star safety hailing from Iowa Colony, Texas, decided to rewrite the script on his recruitment journey. Initially set on staying close to home with Houston, this young talent flipped his commitment and is now bound for the Badgers in Wisconsin. It’s quite the leap, moving from Texas heat to the brisk vibes of Madison — a choice that tells you he’s not afraid to take a chance and chase opportunity, wherever it may be. Ranked No. 133 among safeties in Texas’s 2026 class, Watts brings some much-needed firepower to a Wisconsin crew that’s been hit with a few setbacks as National Signing Day wrapped up. Luke Fickell and his staff must be breathing a sigh of relief having added this defensive asset to their roster — especially with Watts standing as the sole safety in their latest haul. For a team sitting at No. 61 nationally in recruiting rankings, snagging Watts could be the spark they needed as they build toward the next season. Want to dig deeper into the full story and how the Wisconsin class is shaping up? LEARN MORE

Rosharon (Texas) Iowa Colony three-star safety Kah’ni Watts has flipped his commitment from Houston to Wisconsin.

After not inking with the in-state Cougars on National Signing Day, Watts is now set to head far away from home at the next level to play for the Badgers in Madison.

Watts is the No. 133 safety and No. 203 recruit in the Lone Star State in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He also checks in as the No. 1,415 prospect overall.

Luke Fickell and Co. have picked up a much-needed addition to their 2026 class, which has taken some unfortunate hits in the final push to NSD. Wisconsin signed 13 prospects on Wednesday and is now adding Watts to the fold.

Entering Thursday, Wisconsin has the No. 61 class in the nation, according to the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Watts becomes the lone listed safety prospect in the class.

Who signed with Wisconsin this cycle?

The Badgers did end up losing both four-star wide receiver Jayden Petit and four-star running back Amari Latimer, who flipped to Oklahoma and West Virginia, respectively. The class now features just one blue-chipper, per the Rivals300.

Not long ago on Nov. 26, Wisconsin flipped Arlington (Mass.) four-star interior offensive lineman Brady Bekkenhuis from Boston College. He’s the No. 22 IOL in the Rivals300 and now sits atop the class.

Over the weekend, the Badgers also landed JUCO EDGE Taylor Schaefer. He’s the No. 33 JUCO prospect in the cycle and hails from Brussels, Wisconsin. Then on Monday, Wisconsin went back into Tennessee and flipped Chattanooga McCallie School three-star WR Keeyshawn Tabuteau from Vanderbilt.

Other top signees in the Wisconsin class include: Everett (Wash.) Archbishop Murphy three-star tight end Jack Sievers, San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) Mater Dei three-star quarterback Ryan Hopkins, Medina (Tenn.) South Gibson three-star EDGE Yahya Gaad, Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes three-star running back Qwantavius “Fat Boy” Wiggins and Germantown (Tenn.) three-star defensive lineman Djidjou Bah.