Mason Posa didn’t set out to hand over the clearest glimpse yet of Wisconsin’s defense, but that’s exactly what happened when he talked about fall camp.
The linebacker’s comments pointed to a pretty settled-looking group in the middle, with Posa, Cooper Catalano and Jon Jon Kamara working as the starting linebackers and Thomas Heiberger filling a rotational role. Posa said Heiberger is pushing him and Catalano, which gives Wisconsin another layer of competition at linebacker.
But the bigger reveal came when he shifted to the secondary.
“I feel like everywhere we're really athletic, you know, especially in the secondary, J-Rob, Marvin...and the three DBs are battling right now for the boundary corner, Cai, Jai'mier, and Eric. Like, I feel like we're a lot more athletic out there and just a lot faster too.”
That throwaway line about the boundary corner spot is the one worth circling. Javan Robinson looks like the clear starter, but the other side of that battle is still very much alive. Posa identified Cai Bates, Jai'mier Scott and Eric Fletcher as the three names in the mix for that job.
Bates is a redshirt sophomore and the transfer from Florida State. Scott is a redshirt freshman and former 4-star recruit.
Fletcher is a redshirt sophomore who came over from Oklahoma State. It’s a crowded competition, and it’s loaded with young talent.
It also hints that Bryce West is likely the nickel, which helps narrow down the rest of the picture in the secondary.
Before camp, the projection had Robinson, Bryce West and Bates as the likely starters. Bates is still in the mix, but Scott has apparently been making noise early and turning heads. He arrived with plenty of buzz as a 4-star recruit out of high school and showed promise in the spring, though he redshirted last season, which leaves the final read a little cloudy.
Still, Posa’s offhand comment did more than answer a question about athleticism. It gave a useful snapshot of where Wisconsin stands on defense and confirmed that the boundary corner spot is one of the tightest battles on the roster.
In Other News...
Joe Brunner Is Becoming A Frustrating What-If For Wisconsin
Joe Brunners departure from Wisconsin this offseason fits the kind of move that can linger a little longer than a normal transfer. After a down year for the Badgers, the former Wisconsin offensive lineman landed at Indiana and quickly found a different kind of footing, taking on a more vocal leadership role up front. It is the sort of development that naturally invites a second look back in Madison, especially when a player settles in elsewhere in a way that never quite happened before.
Curt Cignetti has made a point of pushing older transfers to lead, and Brunner appears to have responded to that approach. For Wisconsin, the frustration is in the possibility that a lineman with that profile was available all along, but did not fully embrace that responsibility in his previous stop. In a season where the Badgers are already searching for answers, Brunners new role only sharpens the sense of what might have been. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Has A Response To Dilin Jones Rising At LSU
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Jones rise at LSU adds a little extra intrigue to Wisconsins side of the story, because it puts a spotlight on what the Badgers gave up and what they think they gained in return. The confidence in Madison is that the room now has more options and more stability than it did a year ago, even if one of the names that left is already turning heads in Baton Rouge. For Wisconsin, the larger question is not just how Jones performs out there, but whether the group it rebuilt can answer on the field when the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Mateos Is Setting A Tone Wisconsin Fans Have Been Missing
Eric Mateos has quickly given Wisconsins offensive line a very different feel, bringing the kind of relentless attention to detail that can change the standard in a room. As the Badgers new offensive line coach, he has made it clear that the goal is not just competence, but a tougher, more aggressive unit that keeps pushing its own ceiling higher.
For a program that has long built its identity in the trenches, that matters. Mateos is described as obsessive about continuous improvement, and that mindset could be exactly what Wisconsin needs as it tries to get its line playing to a higher bar. The intent is obvious, even if the proof will have to come on the field. [Read more 🡒]