MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Edwards had forgotten about the photo until his mom rummaged through some files earlier this month when the bowl matchups were announced. Before Edwards knew it, all his linebacker teammates were making wisecracks at his expense in a group phone chat over a picture of Edwards dressed head to toe in Western Michigan football gear.

In any other year, that photo would be totally inconsequential. But Wisconsin happens to be playing Western Michigan in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Monday. And, as it turns out, Edwards originally committed to head coach P.J. Fleck and the Broncos before his senior year of high school, only to flip that commitment to the Badgers six months later.

Edwards' decision to change schools was a painstaking one, but it has worked out far beyond what he could have imagined. The redshirt sophomore has developed into one of the most consistent young linebackers in the Big Ten. He leads Wisconsin with 79 tackles this season and probably will finish as the team's leading tackler for a second consecutive year. Of course, Edwards would love nothing more than to show Western Michigan the player he has become.

When Edwards saw the picture from three years ago resurface, he passed it along to teammate Jack Cichy, not thinking much of it. But then Cichy quickly circulated the photo to all of Wisconsin's linebackers, and Edwards began bearing the brunt of some good-natured ribbing.

"I think everyone now knows my history since everyone has been making fun of me," Edwards said.

The story of Edwards' recruitment to Western Michigan begins with his high school coach, Luke Mertens. Edwards played quarterback because he was the most talented player at Lake Villa High School in Illinois. But he didn't project as a college quarterback, and programs had difficulty pegging him with a particular position. Mertens contacted then-Western Michigan linebackers coach Tim McGarigle, who played for Mertens at St. Patrick High School in Chicago. Mertens told McGarigle he had a Division I player on his roster, even if Edwards' college position was unknown.

Once McGarigle saw Edwards work out at the high school, he was sold. Edwards soon received a scholarship offer from Fleck, and he committed to Western Michigan in June 2013. Mertens said the plan was for Edwards to play tight end and potentially move to linebacker under McGarigle.

"I was striving for those really big schools, but I felt Western Michigan was a good fit," Edwards said. "I didn't think anything else was coming, so I just took my shot. I kind of wanted to get a school done and over with so I didn't have to think about it anymore."

Mertens recalled McGarigle, who has since moved on to Illinois, telling him he hoped Big Ten schools didn't find out about Edwards because Western Michigan would be in trouble. Sure enough, Wisconsin coaches discovered Edwards during his senior season, and he fell in love with the Badgers' program and culture of developing players. By early December of 2013, he was ready to play at Wisconsin. Western Michigan was coming off a 1-11 season in Fleck's first year in charge. Wisconsin had nine wins and was headed to the Capital One Bowl.

The only problem: Edwards had to call both McGarigle and Fleck to tell him he would no longer attend Western Michigan.

"I was nervous," Edwards said of his call to Fleck. "The phone was shaking because I had a really good relationship with him for a good year. It was tough. It was probably one of the harder things I had to do. But I knew it was what I wanted for my future."

Edwards declined to share specifics of his conversation with Fleck, but Mertens said it did not go over particularly well.

"The way it all went down, I know he didn't like the way that represented him or his family or our football program at our high school," Mertens said. "But I'm like, 'You can't pass on an opportunity like Wisconsin. It's an opportunity of a lifetime.' I told him that if any coach gets an opportunity like that, they'd probably pick Wisconsin as well. You can't fault yourself for that.

"I told him to take it as a compliment. They wanted you to be a part of his team. They're competitive people, and no one wanted to lose you. See it as a compliment and a great life lesson as well. Sports gives young people an opportunity to grow up really quick, and this was an opportunity for T.J. to grow up really quick."

Edwards certainly has grown into his position at Wisconsin, and he has produced a stellar sophomore campaign despite missing all of fall camp and the season opener against LSU because of a foot injury. In addition to leading Wisconsin in tackles, he has 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. His health and leadership have been even more important because inside linebackers Cichy and Chris Orr, who both started the opener, are out for the year with season-ending injuries.

"Most guys wouldn't be able to play at the level he did right when he came back," Badgers linebacker Ryan Connelly said of Edwards. "He's a big, powerful dude. Once he gets his hand on you, you're going down. He's also advanced his game mentally for sure."

The last player to lead the Badgers in tackles for two consecutive seasons was Mike Taylor from 2011 to '12. No player has done so in three straight seasons for the Badgers since Pete Monty from 1994 to '96, and Edwards will have that opportunity next season. But first, he has some business to handle in the Cotton Bowl against a familiar foe.

"It's a huge bowl game," Edwards said. "It's one that a lot of guys really want to be in, and we're lucky enough to be in with a really good team. That it's Western Michigan kind of adds to the effect of this huge game. It's really exciting for me that it comes full circle."