Wisconsin’s 2026 season comes with a familiar warning label: stay healthy, or things can unravel fast.
That’s been the ugly theme of the Luke Fickell era. The Badgers have already watched two straight starting quarterbacks go down for the year, and the injuries haven’t stopped there. It’s been enough to push Fickell and strength and conditioning director Brady Collins into rethinking how Wisconsin trains this offseason.
The Badgers do have more depth entering 2026 thanks to renewed financial investment, but there are still spots on the roster where one injury could leave the team scrambling. That’s why the most important health watch list starts in the middle of the offensive line.
At center, Wisconsin simply does not have much margin for error. If starter Kawecki were to miss time, the Badgers would likely turn to third-year player Ryan Cory.
Wisconsin tried Cory at center last fall, but he was benched after one rough start. He has changed his snapping mechanics this offseason in hopes of cleaning that up, but the drop-off from Kawecki to the backup looks especially steep.
Of the positions on this list, center may be the one where an injury would hurt the offense more than even losing the quarterback.
That doesn’t mean Colton Joseph is low on the priority list. Far from it.
The Old Dominion transfer is expected to bring explosiveness to the offense, and if Wisconsin were thinner at quarterback, he would probably sit at No. 1.
The Badgers have a better situation there now, and Fickell has talked openly about having his deepest quarterback room in Madison.
Even so, Joseph is the kind of player Wisconsin cannot easily replace. Backup quarterbacks Deuce Adams and Ryan Hopkins also bring mobility, but Joseph has already piled up 1,654 rushing yards and 24 scores over the past two seasons.
He also has a knack for making something out of nothing when a play breaks down, which gives him a different gear from the players behind him. Wisconsin can survive a lot more at quarterback than it used to, but losing Joseph would still be a major blow.
The Badgers are also dealing with an issue up front right now. Heywood is sidelined at fall camp with a lower body injury, and UW communications called him "day-to-day," though that kind of label can mean very little. If it lingers into the season, Wisconsin would feel it immediately.
That’s because the Badgers already lived through the damage last fall when Heywood was lost for the year. He is now projected to start at right tackle, and if he can’t go, Lucas Simmons-Johansson would be next up.
Simmons-Johansson is a promising Florida State transfer, but he has never played right tackle in his career. Wisconsin does not need a repeat of last spring, when Heywood’s season-ending ACL tear triggered a chain reaction that wrecked the offensive line.
On defense, Posa stands out as the most irreplaceable piece. He may be the most gifted player on that side of the ball, and there’s a real path for him to lead Wisconsin in tackles, tackles-for-loss, forced fumbles and sacks.
He’s also the defense’s main communicator, handling the job of getting the defensive line set and the rest of the unit lined up correctly. Losing any of the offensive players ahead of him would hurt more because of position value, but losing Posa would still be a serious hit to the whole defense.
Catalano belongs in that same conversation. Like Posa, he could wind up near the top of Wisconsin’s tackle chart, and he has proven to be elite against the run.
Until someone proves otherwise, Posa and Catalano remain the two best players on Mike Tressel’s defense. Losing either one would have a huge effect on that unit.
In Other News...
Badgers Fans Got A Promising NFL Reminder From Four Former Standouts
A handful of former Wisconsin standouts made the preseason rounds over the weekend, giving Badgers fans a little reminder of the programs reach at the next level. Braelon Allen, Mason Reiger, Vinny Anthony II and Ricardo Hallman all saw limited action, but each found a way to show up on the stat sheet in a glimpse of what they can offer as pros.
Allen was the most eye-catching name in the group, while Reiger made an impression with a sack in limited snaps and Hallman logged a tackle soon after signing with the Denver Broncos. Anthony added value in the return game and also chipped in as a receiver, which is the sort of all-around usage that tends to keep a player in the conversation as roster decisions start to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Eugene Hilton Jr Is Forcing His Way Into Wisconsins Plans
Eugene Hilton Jr. has spent fall camp looking more and more like a player Wisconsin will have to account for in a real way. The second-year receiver has shown noticeable growth since last season, and the buzz around him has been driven by more than just a few flashy reps. His hands have been dependable, his route-running has sharpened up and he has looked comfortable working across different parts of the offense, which is the kind of development coaches want to see from a young wideout trying to carve out a larger role.
Hiltons progress has also become one of the more encouraging storylines for a passing game that could use emerging options heading toward the 2026 season. Teammates and coaches have taken notice of how much more polished he appears, and the early camp optimism is grounded in the idea that he is no longer just flashing potential but making a case to be part of the plan. For a program always looking for receivers who can earn trust quickly, Hilton is giving Wisconsin something to think about. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Has A Fall Camp Battle Fans Should Feel Good About
Wisconsins fall camp has moved past its halfway point, and one of the more encouraging developments has been the battle at field cornerback between Jaimier Scott and Eric Fletcher. The two have been working almost neck and neck in practice, which has given the Badgers something they can usually never have enough of in August: a real position fight that looks like it is bringing out the best in both players.
Luke Fickell has made it clear the job is still open, and the expectation is that both Scott and Fletcher will have roles once the season starts. For Wisconsin, that kind of depth in the cornerback room matters almost as much as the winner of the competition itself, because it suggests the group has enough talent to keep pushing through camp instead of settling for a default answer. [Read more 🡒]