Cornerback has become one of the most watched spots in Wisconsin’s fall camp, and for good reason. Oklahoma State transfer Eric Fletcher and second-year corner Jai'mier Scott have been going head-to-head for field corner snaps, with Fletcher shaking off a spring injury and turning in a strong camp. But if you ask cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples who has made the biggest leap since spring, he points somewhere else.
“When you think spring ball to fall camp, I think the biggest jump is probably Cai Bates," he said. "He’s playing to his size, he’s playing big corner football. I really liked seeing that from him.”
That answer fits what has shown up on the practice field. Bates is impossible to overlook at 6-3, and he looks every bit the long, rangy corner he was billed to be.
He has been tight in coverage, used his length to break up jump-ball chances and 50/50 throws, and shown a willingness to come up and tackle in the run game. His size also makes him a tough body to deal with on the edge.
The talent has always been there. Bates arrived as a consensus top-125 recruit and came to Wisconsin as a third-year Florida State transfer with plenty of upside. What Steeples is seeing now is a player starting to match that profile on the field.
The buzz around the room has mostly centered on Scott and Fletcher, and that battle is still very much alive. Steeples tried to downplay the competition after practice No. 10 of fall camp, saying:
“It’s not as much a battle, like, that whole top core of our room is gonna play. It’s not as much about me beating this guy out, it’s about me being ready for my moment and getting information I can while they’re having theirs," he said. "A lot of guys in this group are earning the right to play.”
Even if the coach wants to frame it as a broader rotation, the snaps at field corner are still up for grabs. And his comments also hint at something bigger: Wisconsin plans to mix in more than just the two players in that spot.
That’s where Bates comes in. Steeples’ praise suggests he’s not just part of the depth chart - he’s in line for a real role this fall. The takeaway from camp is pretty clear: Wisconsin’s cornerback room looks deeper, and the top end appears to be spreading across four players on the outside without much of a drop-off when Steeples goes to the next man.
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