As the countdown to the first Wisconsin football game of the season continues, Badger of Honor is taking a look at Badgers by the numbers, checking in on a different Badger or Badgers players who wore the number corresponding with the remaining days until the Badgers head to Texas to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday, Sept. 5.
Next up in our countdown, signifying 72 days until college football is back, are two former Wisconsin linemen who are a pair of the best offensive linemen in the NFL — Joe Thomas and Travis Frederick.
Wisconsin Badgers
Joe Thomas
Thomas played high school ball at Brookfield Central High School where he did a little bit of everything — right tackle, tight end and fullback on offense, defensive end on defense. He also handled the placekicking and punting duties.
He was one of the top offensive linemen prospects in the country, and chose to stay in state and attend UW-Madison.
He spent 2003-2006 at UW. As a true freshman he saw the field as a blocking tight end, but he won the starting left tackle job in 2004 and held it for the final three years of his career, starting 38 straight games.
He paved the way for the likes of Anthony Davis, Matt Bernstein, Brian Calhoun and P.J. Hill.
Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns lineman Joe Thomas (73) before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas is one of the most decorated linemen in Wisconsin football history: A unanimous All-American (2006), a first team All-Big Ten selection (2005 and 2006), the Outland Trophy winner (2006) and the Jim Parker Trophy winner (2006).
His success at the collegiate level translated into the third overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
He has since become one of the best and most reliable offensive linemen in the NFL.
He has 128 straight career starts, is an eight-time pro-bowler (every year of his career),a five-time first team All-Pro, and a two-time second team All-Pro.
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Travis Frederick
While Thomas represents a veteran presence in the NFL, Frederick is an up-and-coming Badgers alum who is impressing at the NFL level.
Frederick was at UW from 2009 to 2012, and helped the Badgers to a pair of Big Ten Championships in 2011 and 2012.
Frederick was the first true freshman lineman in Wisconsin history to start a season-opening game in 2009, but a week two injury forced him to redshirt the rest of the season.
He returned in 2010 as the starting left guard, and in 2011 took over the starting center job after Peter Konz graduated. In total, he started 26 games for the Badgers before declaring early for the 2013 NFL Draft.
January 22, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin center Travis Frederick of the Dallas Cowboys (72) during the 2015 Pro Bowl practice at Luke Air Force Base. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
He was the 31st overall selection by the Cowboys in 2013, what was at the time a questioned decision by much of the Cowboys’ fan base.
Frederick has done nothing but excel in the NFL, starting 32 straight games for the Cowboys and helping Dallas evolve into one of the best running teams in the league.
Frederick made the NFL All-Rookie team in 2013, and was a second team All-Pro and Pro-Bowler in 2014.
Who wore No. 72 first?
• End Jon Pierson first wore No. 72 for Wisconsin in 1927.
Who wears No. 72 now?
• Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Ben Hemer (younger brother of former Wisconsin defensive lineman Ethan Hemer) currently wears No. 72 for the Badgers.
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor as we continue our daily countdown in preparation of the season opener against Alabama.
Next: Wisconsin Football Experience