Wisconsin football’s fall camp has started to sort out the depth chart, but a few key spots are still very much in play. The Badgers have clarity in some places, yet the competition at several positions remains wide open, and four battles stand out above the rest.
One of the biggest is at boundary corner, where the starting picture is nearly set everywhere else. Javan Robinson looks locked in at No. 1, and Bryce West is handling the slot.
That leaves the boundary corner job as the last major opening in the secondary, and Mason Posa said the fight is between Jai'mier Scott, Cai Bates, and Eric Fletcher. Scott, a 4-star recruit who redshirted last season, appears to have the edge right now.
Bates, also a 4-star recruit and a transfer from Florida State, is still very much in the mix, and Fletcher, who saw plenty of action for Oklahoma State last season, cannot be dismissed either.
Running back is another spot without a final answer. Jayden Everett said he has not decided who the team’s “bell cow” will be, even though plenty of fans have assumed that role belongs to Abu Sama III.
Everett made it clear that Darrion Dupree has a legitimate chance to win the job, with Sama potentially serving more as a change-of-pace option. Wisconsin plans to rotate three to four backs, and the staff may lean on different runners depending on the situation.
Still, Everett wants one back he can trust in every circumstance, and both Dupree and Sama are taking first-team reps as that race continues.
The receiver room may be the most watched competition of all. Chris Brooks Jr. has looked like a different player this season and seems to be operating as the top wideout.
But Eugene Hilton Jr. is making his case at the same spot, and Jaylon Domingeaux is right there too. Tyrell Henry appears to be settling in at slot, where he will likely work heavily.
Nothing is fully decided in that room, and even Malachi Coleman has had his moments while others keep pushing into the conversation.
Then there is quarterback 2, a battle that always draws attention. Deuce Adams was brought in to back up Colton Joseph, but Ryan Hopkins has seemingly moved into that role.
The true freshman continues to turn heads and spark curiosity about what he can become. He is still developing, but he is already well ahead of where most 3-star true freshmen are at this point.
In Other News...
Joe Brunner Is Becoming A Frustrating What-If For Wisconsin
Joe Brunners move from Wisconsin to Indiana this offseason is the kind of transfer that lingers with a fan base, especially after a down year for the Badgers. A player once expected to be part of the lines foundation is now lining up somewhere else in the Big Ten, and the early signs in Bloomington suggest he is finding a different kind of fit.
At Indiana, Brunner has stepped into a more vocal leadership role on the offensive line, something he did not fully embrace in Madison. Curt Cignetti has made a point of pushing older transfers into those kinds of responsibilities, and Brunner appears to be responding to that approach in a way Wisconsin never quite saw. For the Badgers, it only adds to the frustration of wondering what might have been if that version of him had surfaced earlier. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Offense Just Faced Its Toughest Camp Test Yet
Bad weather pushed Wisconsins fifth fall camp practice indoors, but the setting did little to soften the edge of the day. Offensive line coach Eric Mateos kept the pace and urgency high, and the defense made the most of the cramped space, especially up front, where the front seven controlled much of the session. The offense did find some rhythm with jet sweeps and pre-snap motion, but it was clear this was one of those camp days when every inch had to be earned.
One of the brighter offensive moments came from JUCO transfer tailback Juju Pope, who broke loose for a long touchdown with the second-team offense. Even so, the defense had the louder answers overall, with Posa coming through on one of the most disruptive plays of the day by knifing into the backfield on a jet-motion look and blowing it up before it could get started. For an offense still sorting itself out, it was a useful reminder that camp progress often looks more like resistance than comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Fall Camp Is Setting Up Some Big Starting Job Fights
Fall camp is underway in Madison, and the early days have already put Wisconsins roster in a familiar spot for August, with competition everywhere and no shortage of jobs to sort out before the opener against Notre Dame. Wide receiver, cornerback, tight end and guard are all in play, and the Badgers are leaning on a mix of transfers and returning players as they begin to piece together the depth chart for a season that will demand answers quickly.
The most interesting part of camp is not just who is practicing, but which players are starting to separate themselves as the staff evaluates the first units and the key contributors behind them. There is a real sense that several of these battles could shape how the offense and defense look once the games count, and a few spots already have the feel of decisions that may not be settled until camp is deep into its final stretch. [Read more 🡒]