Fall camp is where Wisconsin football stops experimenting and starts sorting out the real pecking order, and a few battles are already starting to take shape.
The quarterback room is the biggest one to watch. Colton Joseph is the clear starter and should keep all the first-team reps, just as he did in the spring.
Behind him, Wisconsin brought in Deuce Adams from Louisville to be a steady backup with Power Four experience. But true freshman early-enrollee Hopkins has already pushed himself right into the conversation.
Through 15 practices, Hopkins has looked like the future of the position in Madison. That creates an awkward but useful problem for the Badgers: they don’t gain much by keeping him buried.
Wisconsin expected Adams to be the needed insurance because nobody knew Hopkins would come on this fast. Now that he has, the gap between the two appears much smaller.
“I’ve been in college for two seasons, so I definitely think I can teach him some things, cause I have the experience," Adams said of Hopkins this spring.
That line reads like a veteran who knows the pressure is real. If Hopkins matches Adams in fall camp, there’s a strong case for making him QB2. Adams may not love it, but if Hopkins is the long-term answer, Wisconsin won’t want him stuck at third string.
Up front, the tackle competition should be just as lively. Ole Miss transfer PJ Wilkins is set to begin camp as the starter at blindside tackle and is the favorite for now. But Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson has been closing fast, and this one feels headed for a true fight over 15 practices.
Former consensus top-60 national recruit Kevin Heywood is locked in at right tackle, so Wilkins and Simmons-Johansson are essentially battling for the same spot. Wilkins opened spring as the starter, but Simmons-Johansson started to push him late.
By the end of spring, he was taking reps with the first group at tackle. He also appears to have made a strong offseason jump, with offensive line coach Eric Mateos saying he’s already added 12 pounds since spring ball and was one of the more impressive players in summer workouts.
That kind of momentum matters, and this battle has the feel of one that could go right down to the wire.
The other area to keep an eye on is the pass rush, where Wisconsin badly needs help. The Badgers have concerns at wide receiver and outside linebacker heading into 2026, and while the receiving group may not answer many questions this fall, one young edge player looks ready to make noise.
That player is Nick Clayton. The former blue-chip prospect has drawn heavy praise all offseason, enough that outside backers coach Matt Mitchell said he might be his best pass-rusher even though he played only 15 snaps as a freshman last fall.
Wisconsin needs more pressure off the edge in Mike Tressel’s defense, and Clayton sounds like a player who could force his way into a bigger role quickly. Sebastian Cheeks is already a solid option there, but the staff’s comments make it tough to picture Clayton staying in a small role for long.
“The kid’s a freak. He’s a freak of nature, god has blessed him no doubt genetically.
He has traits that you just can’t coach. The pass-rush, the twitch, the instincts," strength and conditioning director Brady Collins said.
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One Wisconsin Camp Battle Should Have Badgers Fans Worried
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PJ Wilkins enters the stretch as the front-runner at left tackle, but he is being pushed hard enough that nothing feels settled yet. The wideout group has a similar feel, with Wisconsin still waiting for one or two pass catchers to separate themselves as reliable top targets, and the lack of proven Big Ten production there is exactly why camp matters so much right now. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger takeaway is the number it leaves behind. Wisconsin now has nine scholarship defensive linemen lined up for the 2026 campaign, a reminder that even departures from players outside the rotation can matter when a team is trying to build depth and keep the front stocked for the long haul. Pettaways exit also marks an early roster change from the 2025 recruiting class, one more thing for the staff to sort through as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Still Has One Roster Decision That Could Change Everything
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The final spot also gives Wisconsin some room to keep evaluating a few different paths, including international players, even if the NCAAs eligibility rules make that route less straightforward. For now, the Badgers are staying patient and flexible, which is usually a sign they believe the right fit is still out there rather than rushing to fill the last chair at the table. [Read more 🡒]