Wisconsin got the opportunity to make the first impression on Nick Herbig this weekend as the four-star linebacker kicked off his round of official visits and the Badgers knocked it out of the park.

The nation's No. 17-rated outside linebacker, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, made his weekend stop in Madison to get his first look at the program and was blown away.

"Honestly, I had high expectations for the visit and I was surprised," Herbig said. "It was really special. The culture up there is amazing and what really stood out to me, aside from the great staff, is that all the players love each other. They aren't in it for themselves. It's about the program and the team, and you can get that vibe just walking around the campus.

"My host was Chris Orr, the middle linebacker, and it was great getting to know him and see how they do things there. They see me fitting into that T.J. Watt role at 'backer, where I can pass rush but also cover down field and be versatile. The visit was great and it's definitely up there for me. I'm planning to talk things through with my family and weigh out all the pros and cons of the schools I'm considering. I don't have anything else planned right now; I have no idea. When I get back home I'll talk to my family and see what else we end up doing."

UCLA, Virginia and Washington are among the other strong contenders for the 6-foot-2, 215-pound prospect from Honolulu (Hawaii) St. Louis. Herbig said he would like to make a decision before the start of the high school season.

The Badgers offered last October, have been consistently involved since then and recently drew the first vote in the 247Sports Crystal Ball. Wisconsin also hosted other top linebacker targets Kalel Mullings, Jordan Turner and Malik Reed, along with commit Cole Dakovich.

Herbig, the No. 2-rated prospect in the state of Hawaii for the 2020 class, added another big item to his growing list of accomplishments this spring when he was named as a selection for the 2020 Polynesian Bowl. His brother, Nate, played offensive guard at Stanford the last few years before leaving early to enter this spring's NFL Draft.

Herbig is the nation's No. 187 overall prospect, according to the Composite rankings. He is No. 7 among outside linebackers in the 247Sports rankings.