Wisconsin Football 2016 Outlook: Tight End

A look at the tight ends on the Wisconsin football roster for 2016

The Wisconsin football program is notorious for using their tight ends at a high rate, and 2015 was no different. 2016 will leave the Badgers with just two experienced tight ends on the roster.

The Badgers got solid production out of the tight end position in 2015 thanks largely to the offseasonn put in by redshirt senior Austin Traylor. The blocking tight end dedication himself to improving his pass-catching skills, and it paid off in the regular season.

Although an injury set him back for quite some time, Traylor finished the year with 14 catches for 210 yards and four touchdowns, tying receiver Rob Wheelwright for the team lead.

With Traylor gone in 2016, the clear-cut favorite to step into the starting role is Troy Fumagalli, who will be a redshirt junior in 2016. Fumagalli has shown his abilities in the receiving game, and was the Badgers third-leading receiver in 2015 with 313 yards and a score on 28 grabs. He doubled his total receptions from 2015, when he caught 14 passes for 187 yards as a redshirt freshman.

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Fumagalli started most of the games Traylor missed last season, although he was also dealing with injuries.

The Badgers really only have one other experienced option in 2016 in the form of redshirt senior Eric Steffes. Also known more as a blocking tight end, Steffes caught just three passes for 50 yards last season.

What the Badgers lack in experience they make up in potential. Wisconsin has three big-time tight end recruits, two of whom have been with the team for a year.

Neither Kyle Penniston nor David Edwards made it onto the field last year as freshmen, and each were highly-touted recruits in the class of 2015. Penniston is 6-foot-4 and weighs 233 pounds, and was lauded for his pass-catching abilities. Edwards is a massive 6-foot-7, 239 pound, and could be a factor in both the passing and blocking game.

The Badgers also added tight end Jake Hescock in the class of 2016, the No. 4 ranked player out of the state of Connecticut.

Wisconsin also has redshirt sophomore John Damrow and redshirt freshman Mitchell Herl on roster, both tight ends who walked onto the program but have yet to make it onto the field.

The tight end position has been historically strong for the Badgers, and the 2016 version of the team will look to some young players to help continue that tradition.

Next: Wisconsin Football: 2016 Outlook - Quarterbacks

Stay tuned to Badger of Honor for more position outlook previews of the Wisconsin football team.