Wisconsin’s freshman class has spent most of the offseason out of the spotlight, with quarterback Ryan Hopkins the clear exception. But heading into Week 1 against Notre Dame, a few true freshmen are positioned to matter right away.
That’s especially true for wide receiver Brock, who looked like a real candidate to crack the two-deep if Wisconsin had put out a depth chart before the opener. He earned steady work with the second unit during fall camp and kept backing it up with contested catches and splash plays.
“He earned it himself. Unbelievable work ethic. Super smart kid, cares, wants to be great," wide receivers coach Ari Confessor said.
At 6-3 and 190 pounds, Brock showed strong hands and more polish as a route runner than you usually see from a first-year receiver. His size and willingness to mix it up on the perimeter helped him carve out those reps, and in a crowded receiver room, he could easily find a drive or two on offense if the Badgers need a spark.
“He’s a tremendous young man. He’s bright-eyed, he’s intelligent, he’s competitive, he’s vocal.
I think he’s got natural leadership capacity, especially once he gets older. Already as a freshman, he’s one of the more vocal guys in the huddle in that second or third group.
He’s a willing blocker, he’s got toughness, and he’s gonna be a guy that’s gonna play some role this year," offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said.
Sievers, listed at 6-4 and 245 pounds, is not in line for offensive snaps. He sits near the back of the scholarship tight end group, but he should still get on the field against the Irish on special teams. Head coach Luke Fickell said as much in his Week 1 press conference.
The tight end room never really sorted itself out during camp, with no one separating as the clear top option in either the passing or blocking game. That likely means Wisconsin will lean on at least three tight ends on game day, and tight ends coach Nate Letton said he wants four ready to go on Saturdays.
Even so, Sievers flashed enough as a receiver to turn heads. One of the best catches of camp came when he went up and snatched a fade in the end zone over a defender, a play that drew plenty of reaction from the offensive sideline.
Dunmore, meanwhile, made his case on the defensive side of the ball with a strong camp that pushed him into second-team reps. He put together a particularly loud day at practice No. 13, finishing with a sack, an interception and a key third-down swat in situational work.
He’s not expected to play defense unless something goes sideways in the secondary, but he has earned his spot in the rotation by the way he prepares and carries himself.
"He’s wanting to know it. He’s in meetings taking notes, you can’t even really joke with him when you’re on the football field because he’s locked in," defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said. "The desire to compete with anybody from the get is impressive."
With his speed, Dunmore looks like the kind of freshman who can help immediately on kick coverage, where burst and effort can make a real difference.
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Theres also been buzz around quarterback Ryan Hopkins and wide receiver Kash Brock, both of whom have apparently stood out in practice. Their short-term path to the field is less clear, but in a preseason where roster spots and snap counts are still taking shape, early practice momentum can matter, especially for a program looking to blend transfer experience with a few freshmen who may be harder to keep off the field than expected. [Read more 🡒]