Wisconsin Football: Wisconsin Badgers All-Time Team

rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn The Wisconsin football all-time team features the top two Badgers at each position all time rnIn the team's history, the Wisconsin Badgers have churned out more than 50 first team All-Americans, 29 first round draft picks, hundreds of NFL players, a pair of NFL Hall of Famers, nine college football Hall of Famers, and many more success stories through the years.rnrn READ ALSO: Badgers Great Cecil Martin Talks Big Ten Championship, Charity Work rnrnThe Badgers have seen heralded recruits blossom and walk-ons become college and NFL stars, and have seen great players come and go at every position up and down the roster.rnrn[teamnews align="right" team="wisconsin badgers" sport="ncaa"]rnrnThe Badgers have seen record-setting running backs like Ron Dayne , Montee Ball , Melvin Gordon , big-time wide receivers like Al Toon and his son Nick and the legendary Pat Richter , talented tight ends, mammoth offensive linemen and dual threat quarterbacks.rnrnOn the defensive side, big names like Wendell Bryant and Tarek Saleh carry the defensive line while talented linebackers have populated the depth chart for years and defensive backs like Jim Leonhard and Jamar Fletcher had impressive careers for the Badgers.rnrnFrom early Wisconsin stars like Howard Buck, Howard Weiss and Dave Schreiner, to more recent big names like Chris Borland , J.J. Watt and Russell Wilson , the Badgers have plenty of talent to choose from when deciding the best of the best.rnrnThose players and many more are among the options for our Wisconsin Football All-Time Team.rnrnHere we take a look at the best of all time to come through the gates at Camp Randall, those who make up our all-time team. We have chosen two players at each position, the two we feel are the best overall at the position in the history of the school.rnrnWe take into account college statistics, production and longevity and the impact the player left on the program.rnrnThis list is open for debate, and we welcome your feedback in the comments. We start with the offense, and kick things off with the quarterbacks.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Quarterbacks" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Quarterbacks rn Darrell Bevell: The Badgers leading passer kicks off our all-time team list. Bevell threw for 7,686 yards and 59 touchdowns from 1992-1995, and leads the Badgers record book in both categories. The best pure passer in Wisconsin history, Bevell is also the school record holder for pass completions in a game (35) and a career (646). Bevell is the school's career yardage leader and holds the distinction for most passing yards in a game (423) and most touchdowns (5).rnrn[teamnews align="right" team="wisconsin badgers" sport="ncaa"]rnrnAfter a 5-6 season his first year as a starter, Bevell helped the Badgers to a conference championship in 1993 as the Badgers went to the Rose Bowl and knocked of the UCLA Bruins 21-16, thanks in part to a 4th-quarter 21-yard touchdown run from Bevell, one of just a handful of touchdown runs in his career.rnrnBevell started more games at Wisconsin than any other quarterback (43) and ranks fifth all time with 26 career wins. He had a career 61.4 completion percentage.rnrn Brooks Bollinger: The backup on our all-time team is the Wisconsin quarterback who has taken more snaps than any other, Brooks Bollinger. He's been a part of 1,289 plays, 79 more plays than legendary running back Ron Dayne. Bollinger and Dayne shared the field in one season, 1999, Bollinger's freshman year and Dayne's Heisman Trophy season.rnrnBollinger is fourth in school history in passing yardage, but he's second all-time in total yardage at UW, thanks in part to his skills running the football. Bollinger finished his career with 7,394 total yards - second only to Bevell - passing for 5,627 yards and rushing for 1,767 yards.rnrnBollinger is fourth in school history with 38 passing touchdowns, and his rushing yardage is the 18th best career number at UW - and that's among all players, he's tops among quarterbacks. His 26 rushing touchdowns is the 10th best number in school history, again among all players, and his 64 total touchdowns trails only Ron Dayne and Montee Ball in school history.rnrnBollinger led the Badgers to three bowl game wins, including the 2000 Rose Bowl.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Running Backs" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Running Backs rn Ron Dayne: Quite possibly the best and most celebrated player in Wisconsin football history, Ron Dayne ran the ball for the Badgers from 1996-1999, setting the school record with 7,125 rushing yards in his career, setting the NCAA record at the same time. He's one of a handful of running backs in college football history to have four 1,000-yard rushing seasons. rnrn[related-category]rnrnHe totaled 71 touchdowns in his Wisconsin career, second most all-time in Badgers history. He's the school's all-time leader in all-purpose yards, totaling 7,429 in his career, more than 1,500 yards more than the next closest Badger, wide receiver/returner Brandon Williams.rnrnDayne led the Big Ten in yards per game in three seasons - 1996, 1998 and 1999 - and finished his career with 33 games rushing for at least 100 yards. He averaged 151.6 yards per game over his career.rnrnThe Badgers won three bowl games during Dayne's tenure, including back-to-back Rose Bowls. Dayne won the Heisman Trophy in 1999, along with the Maxwell Award (1999), the Walter Camp Award (1999) the Doak Walker Award (1998 and 1999) and was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 1999.rnrnDayne was a unanimous consensus first team All-American in 1999, and the Big Ten Running Back of the Year Award has been renamed the Ameche-Dayne running back of the year in honor of Dayne and Alan Ameche.rnrnDayne's No. 33 was retired at UW in 2007, and he was inducted into the college football hall of fame in 2013.rnrn[caption id="attachment_41769" align="alignright" width="300"] Aug 22, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Denver Broncos running back Montee Ball (28) runs with the ball prior to the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rnrn Montee Ball: Wisconsin's all-time leading scorer round out the running backs on the all-time team as Montee Ball finished his Badgers career with 77 rushing touchdowns, 83 total, and 500 career points. His 39 touchdowns in 2011 alone set the NCAA record for single-season touchdowns. rnrnHe's Wisconsin's second-leading rusher as well, totaling 5,140 yards in his career, averaging 5.6 yards per carry in his time at UW. He had 26 career 100-plus yard rushing performances.rnrnBall is third all time at UW with 5,738 career all-purpose yards, and led the Big Ten in 2011 with an average of 137.4 yards per game. He also led the country in scoring with 16.9 points per game in 2011.rnrnHe was a consensus All-American in 2011 and 2012, won the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year in both 2011 and 2012 as well as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2011, won the Doak Walker Award in 2012 and was a semi-finalist in 2011, was a two-time Maxwell Award semifinalist and finished fourth in Heisman voting in 2011.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Fullbacks" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Fullbacks rn Alan Ameche: One of the most celebrated players and most recognized names in Wisconsin football history, Alan Ameche — known as “The Horse” or “The Iron Horse” — was a fullback for the Badgers from 1951-1954.rnrnHe led the team in rushing for four straight seasons, and during the 1951 season, became the first Badger to rush for at least 200 yards in a single game, hitting the number against Minnesota. In 1952 he became the first Badgers player to rush for 1,000 yards, totaling 1,079 yards his sophomore season. In 1953, Ameche finished sixth in Heisman voting. 1953 also saw Ameche seeing the field for nearly 55 minutes a game, as he played fullback on offense and linebacker on defense.rnrnHe followed up his strong 1953 season by taking home the Heisman Trophy in 1954, the first Badgers player to win the award. He also took home the Silver Football award in 1954, presented to the Big Ten MVP by the Chicago Tribune. Ameche was a three-time All-American, and in 1954 was a unanimous selection. He was a first team All-Big Ten selection from 1952-1954.rnrnHe remains 11th all time at UW with 3,345 career rushing yards, which was an NCAA career record when he hung up his cleats at UW. He carried the ball 701 times in his Wisconsin career and totaled at least 100 yards in a single game 17 times over the course of his time as a Badger.rnrnIn 1955 Ameche was the third overall selection in the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts. To this day he is the second-highest draft pick in school history (tied with Joe Thomas), following only our next selection in that honor.rnrn Pat Harder: The Badgers highest draft pick in school history (second overall in the 1944 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals), Pat Harder played fullback at Wisconsin from 1941-42. rnrnIn 1941, Harder led the Big Ten in rushing yards (443) and points (58), and in 1942, Harder earned first team All-American status from the All-American Board, and earned second or third team designation from a number of other sources. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in both 1941 and 1942, and in 1943 he played in the college football all-star game, scoring two touchdowns and winning the game's MVP award.rnrnHarder passed away in 1992. In 1993 he was posthumously voted into the College Football Hall of Fame.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Wide Receivers" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_37525" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Pat Richter, Dave Schreiner and Allan Schaefer have their jersey numbers retired at UW. Jim Oxley photo[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Wide Receivers rn Pat Richter: Richter's tenure as a Badgers receiver was enough to cement his status as one of the few in school history to have his jersey retired, as the No. 88 forever graces the facade at Camp Randall. rnrnA letter-winner in football, basketball and baseball at UW (yes, the Badgers had a baseball team at one point), Richter was a before-his-time receiver, standing 6-6 and weighing in at 230 pounds, a stark contrast from the other receivers playing at that time. He helped the Badgers to a Big Ten championship in 1062 and a spot in the 1963 Rose Bowl against USC, where he caught 11 passes for 163 yards and the final score in a comeback effort that fell short in a 42-37 loss to the top team in the country.rnrn[related-tag tag="wisconsin badgers"]rnrnHer may have been a receiver before the golden age of the passing game, but his numbers stand the test of time. He's still the 10th-leading receiver in school history with 1,873 career receiving yards. His 15 career touchdowns are also 10th best in school history.rnrnRichter's jersey was retired in 2008, two years after he retired from a long stretch as the Badgers athletic director (1989-2004), a tenure that saw Wisconsin bring both Barry Alvarez and Bo Ryan aboard, win three Rose Bowls, and make it to the Final Four under Dick Bennett.rnrn Lee Evans: A receiver worthy of sharing the field with Richter came much later in the form of Lee Evans, who from 1999-2003 became the best receiver in school history in terms of receiving yards (3,468) and receiving touchdowns (27). rnrnHis 19.8 career yards per catch is second only to Tony Simmons (20.1) who caught 76 fewer passes than Evans in his career. Evans 175 catches are third all time at UW, and he holds the single-game record with 258 yards against Michigan State in 2003.rnrnHis 1,545-yard 2001 season is the best-single-season output in school history, followed by his 2003 offering of 1,213 yards. Only two other Badgers (Brandon Williams and Jared Abbrederis) have put together 1,000-yard seasons, and Evans did it twice.rnrnEvans was the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Tight Ends" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_5938" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Oct 12, 2013; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers tight end Jacob Pedersen (48) makes a diving catch during the first quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Camp Randall Stadium. Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Tight Ends rn Travis Beckum: The best receiving tight end in school history would hold up against some of the best wide receivers in school history, as Travis Beckum put together an impressive career for the Badgers from 2006-2008. rnrnHe remains the fifth-leading receiver in school history, totaling 2,149 receiving yards in his career. He did the majority of that work in two years, as his 2009 season was cut short by injury.rnrnIn 2007 Beckum tied Lee Evans’ singel-season record for most catches in a season with 75 (since broken by Jared Abbrederis), and his 159 career receptions is the most by a Badgers tight end, and is fifth-best all-time at UW.rnrnBeckum was a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award in 2006 and a finalist for the award in 2007. He was a second team All-American in 2006 and a first teamer in 2007, and was a first team All-Big Ten selection in ’07.rnrn Jacob Pederson: A touchdown magnet from his tight end position, Jacob Pederson found the end zone plenty from 2010-2013.rnrnHe remains seventh all-time in school history with 17 touchdowns in his career (best in school history among tight ends), and finished is 17th in school history with 1,394 career receiving yards.rnrnHe was incredibly durable throughout his career, playing in 53 games. Only Beau Allen, Ryan Groy, Rob Havenstein, Ethan Hemer and Dezmen Southward (54 games) played in more games in a Badgers uniform.rnrnHe was named the Kwalick-Clark Big Ten Tight End of the Year in 2012.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Offensive Tackles" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_36939" align="aligncenter" width="590"] January 22, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin tackle Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns (73) during the 2015 Pro Bowl practice at Luke Air Force Base. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Offensive Tackles rn Joe Thomas: One of the best linemen to step foot on campus in school history, Joe Thomas has turned his collegiate success into an impressive NFL career.rnrnHe earned it at Wisconsin where he spent 2003-2006. 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.rnrnHe paved the way for the likes of Anthony Davis , Matt Bernstein, Brian Calhoun and P.J. Hill .rnrnThomas 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).rnrnHe was the third overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, and has become and NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl mainstay since.rnrn Aaron Gibson: A n Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award finalist in 1998, and a first team All-American and an All Big Ten selection, Aaron Gibson spent 1995-1998 at Wisconsin, and was a key figure blocking for Ron Dayne . rnrnAs good as he was on the field, Gibson might be more well-known for his weight. He was an enormous player, weighing in at around 390 pounds throughout his collegiate career. He slimed down to 371 as a senior, and impressed scouts with a 5.2 40-meter dash in the NFL combine.rnrnGibson was taken in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft, the 27th overall selection by the Detroit Lions.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Offensive Guards" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_38005" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Sep 23, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos guard John Moffitt (72) before the game against the Oakland Raiders at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos won 37-21. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Offensive Guards rn John Moffitt: A first-team All-American in 2010, John Moffitt helped anchor the Wisconsin Badgers offensive line from 2007-2010. rnrnHe was a Badgers starting lineman for 42 games, 27 of those starts coming at left guard. He showed his versatility by starting at center for 15 games as well.rnrnHe was a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection, and a member of the offensive line that helped John Clay, Montee Ball and James White to historic careers at Wisconsin.rnrn Ray "Tubby" Keeler: We go way back to the early 1900's for our second guard on the All-Time Team, proving Wisconsin had great offensive lines throughout the team's history.rnrnRay "Tubby" Keeler was a Badgers guard from 1912-194, and he earned consensus All-American status in 1913. He was also a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection in 1912 and 1913.rnrnKeeler was later the head football coach at Wisconsin State Teachers College (later UW-Lacrosse).rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Centers" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Centers rn Mike Webster: A Rhinelander, Wisconsin native, Mike Webster was Wisconsin’s center from 1971 to 1973.rnrnWhile the Badgers weren’t particularly good during his tenure at Wisconsin (the team went 12-21-1 from 1971 to 1973), Webster earned recognition as one of the best in the business. He was a first team All-Big Ten selection, the Jimmy Demetral Team MVP, and a team captain in 1973.rnrnHe went on to become one of the most successful Badgers alumni in the NFL, playing in 245 NFL games over the course of a 17-year professional career. After playing in a backup role for two seasons, Webster became Pittsburgh’s starting center in 1976. He would play for Pittsburgh until 1988, helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls (1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980). He finished out his career playing for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-1990.rnrn[related-tag tag="wisconsin football"]rnrnHe was selected to nine Pro Bowls, including an eight-year stretch from 1979 to 1986. He played in more games and seasons with the Steelers than anyone in franchise history, and his No. 52 has not been worn by a Steelers player since his retirement.rnrnIn the 1970s he was named to NFL’s 75th anniversary team, and in 1997 was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, making him one of just two former Badgers ( Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch is the other) to be in the Hall. He was later elected into the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame in 2007.rnrnWebster passed away in 2002, and the football stadium in his hometown of Rhinelander is named in his honor.rnrn Cory Raymer: Years after Webster's tenure at UW, Cory Raymer spent 1991 to 1994 at Wisconsin.rnrnHe was a three-year starter at center for the Badgers, and helped the 1993 team average 250 rushing yards per game and win a Bit Ten title and the Rose Bowl.rnrnHe was a first team All-Big Ten selection in both 1993 and 1994, and was a consensus All-American in 1994, Wisconsin’s first consensus All-American since Tim Krumrie in 1981.rnrnFollowing his collegiate career, Raymer was the 37th overall selection in the 1995 NFL Draft (second round) by the Washington Redskins, and played 11 seasons in the NFL.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: All-Purpose" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: All-Purpose rn Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch: Known as “Crazylegs,” Elroy Hirsch is firmly cemented in Wisconsin football history.rnrnThough he played just one season for the Badgers in 1942, he quickly made his presence known in a multitude of ways. The Badgers went 8-1-1 in his lone season at UW, led by his triple-threat capabilities. Hirsch totaled 786 rushing yards, 390 receiving yards and 226 passing yards on the season. He helped the Badgers take down No. 1 Ohio State by throwing a touchdown pass and totaling more than 200 total yards of offense.rnrn[teamnews align="right" team="wisconsin badgers" sport="ncaa"]rnrnHe earned his “Crazy Legs” nickname when after a long touchdown run against Notre Dame, Francis Powers of the Chicago Daily News wrote that, “his crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time; he looked like a demented duck.”rnrnThe Badgers finished the year ranked third nationally, and Hirsch was named a third-team Look All-American. He was also a first team All-Big Ten selection.rnrnFollowing college, Hirsch was a first round draft pick (No. 5 overall) by the Cleveland Browns, but chose to play in the All-America Football Conference with the Chicago Rockets, where he battled through injuries for three seasons. When the AAFC merged with the NFL, Hirsch joined the Los Angeles Rams and became a star.rnrnHirsch was named to the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, and the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time team. In 1968 Hirsch was enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame, the first Badgers player to earn the honor. He and Mike Webster remain the only two former Badgers to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.rnrnHirsch was UW's athletic director from 1969-1987. He passed away January 28, 2004, of natural causes.rnrn[caption id="attachment_37784" align="alignright" width="300"] Jared Abbrederis makes a visit to the Wisconsin Badgers sidelines during the 2014 match up with Nebraska. Jim Oxley photo[/caption]rnrn Jared Abbrederis: Following high school, Jared Abbrederis walked on at Wisconsin, and spent his redshirt season as a scout team spread offense quarterback. He eventually switched to wide receiver, and became one of the best in school history rnrnHis 202 career receptions tie him with Brandon Williams for most in Wisconsin history, and he sits behind only Lee Evans (3,468) for career receiving yards with 3,140. He is tied with Tony Simmons with 23 career receiving touchdowns, also second in school history behind only Evans.rnrnHe was more than a wide receiver, though, as his 4,818 career all-purpose yards rank eighth in school history, and he's in the top 10 in school records in numerous return categories.rnrnHe was awarded the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the most outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Kickers" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Kickers rn Phillip Welch: Sitting behind only Montee Ball and Ron Dayne, Phillip Welch is the third-leading scorer in Wisconsin history, totaling 384 career points from 2008-2011. rnrnHe's second all-time at UW in career field goals (59 makes), and he hit 207 career extra points, by far the most in school history.rnrnHis career .776 field goal percentage (59 of 76) is second best in school history, and his .981 extra point percentage (207 of 211) is the best at UW.rnrnWelch hit a 57-yard field goal in 2009, the second longest kick in school history.rnrn Taylor Mehlhaff: While Phillip Welch put together the best all-around career of a Wisconsin kicker, Taylor Mehlhaff is close behind.rnrnHe's fourth in school history with 295 career points, third with 50 career field goal makes, and second with 145 career extra point makes.rnrnMehlhaff's career .769 field goal percentage (50 of 65) is third best in school history, and his .980 extra point percentage (145 of 149) is second best in the school record books.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Punters" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Punters rn Kevin Stemke: At UW from 1997-2000, Kevin Stemke is the school's career yard-per-punt leader at 43.5 per pop, and holds the school's yardage record with 10,660 total yards.rnrnHe punted for more than 3,000 yards in both 1998 and 2000, and has three of the four best seasons in the school record book as far as punting average is concerned.rnrn Ken DeBauche: A four-year starter for the Badgers from 2004-2007, Ken DeBauche holds Wisconsin’s record for most punting yards in a single game, 514 in 2006 against Michigan. He has the highest average yards per punt over the course of a season — his 2005 year — with 44.8 yards per punt.rnrnBehind only Kevin Stemke, DeBauche in his career is second all time in punting average (42.5 career punting average).rnrnHe trails only Stemke and Scott Cepicky in career punting yards (9.815) and trails the same duo (although Cepicky is the school record holder) in total punts with 231.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Kick Returners" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Kick Returners rn David Gilreath: At UW from 2007-2010, Gilreath played in 50 games as a Badger. He finished his career with 67 receptions for 1,077 yards, but made his name as a kick returner, where he amassed more than 3,000 kick return yards on 135 career attempts.rnrnHis 135 returns is the most all-time at UW, as are his 3,025 return yards.rnrn97 of those yards came on one of the most memorable Wisconsin football plays in recent years, when the No. 18 Badgers welcomed the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes to town in October of 2010, and Gilreath started things off with a game-changing touchdown .rnrn Brandon Williams: A close second to Gilreath, Williams was one of the best all-around players in UW history, and did a big chunk of his damage in the return game.rnrnWilliams is second in the record book in returns (106) and yardage (2,349), and is second all-time at UW with 5,852 all-purpose yards.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Punt Returners" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn

rnrn rn All-Time Team: Punt Returners rn Jim Leonhard: UW's best punt returner in school history made his start as a walk-on and became one of the best safeties ever in Madison. We'll get to that part of his game later, as Leonhard was by far the school's best punt returner in addition to his defensive duties. rnrnLeonhard handled more punts than any other Badgers player (105) and totaled the most return yards in school history, 1,347.rnrnHis 12.8 yards per return average is second in school history, and his three punt returns for a touchdown are also tied for second in the record book.rnrn Nick Davis: While Leonhard takes the cake among Wisconsin punt returners, Nick Davis was a darn good returner in his own right. rnrnHe's second to Leonhard with 83 career punt returns and 1,007 return yards as he and Leonhard are the only two Badgers to break 1,000 career punt return yards.rnrnDavis is also tied with Leonhard with three career punt return touchdowns, and his 12.1 career punt return average is third all time at UW.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Defensive Tackles" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Defensive Tackles rn Tim Krumrie: One of, if not the, best defensive linemen in UW history spent 1979 to 1982 with the Badgers, and still holds the school record for most career tackles by a defensive lineman — 444.rnrnThat number is third all time among all positions in school history. He also tops the school record list with 276 career solo tackles.rnrnIn each of his four seasons at UW Krumrie was the Badgers leading tackler. He was a three-time first-team All-Big Ten selection, and was a consensus All-American in 1981. He was a team captain as a senior in 1982.rnrnKrumrie started all 46 games of his UW career.rnrnSince 2009, the Wisconsin Sports Network and WisSports.net has handed out the Tim Krumrie Award to the best high school senior defensive lineman in Wisconsin.rnrn[related-category]rnrn Wendell Bryant: At UW from 1998 to 2001, Wendell Bryant was on monster on the Badgers defensive line. rnrnBryant had a knack for getting in the backfield. He’s fifth all time at Wisconsin with 24 career sacks, and he’s ninth all time at UW with 41 career tackles for loss.rnrnHe’s tied for second all time at UW (with Daryl Sims and Tim Jordan) with 6 tackles for a loss in a single game, which came September 22, 2001 against Penn State. He’s also second in school history (tied with Mike Thompson , Tom Burke, and Alex Lewis ) with 5 sacks in a game, coming in that 2001 matchup against Penn State.rnrnBryant was Wisconsin’s leading tackler in each of his three seasons as a starter, totaling 48 tackles in both 1999 and 2000, and leading the team with 69 tackles in 2001, for a career total of 165.rnrnHe was a Rotary Lombardi Award semi-finalist in both 2000 and 2001, a Football news Player of the Year semi finalist in 2001, the Big Ten Co-Lineman of the Year in 2000, and the sole owner of the award in 2001, and an All-American in 2001.rnrnHe was a first team All-Big Ten selection each year from 1999 to 2001.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Defensive Ends" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Defensive Ends rn Tom Burke: From 1995-1998, Tom Burke tore up opposing Big Ten offenses. He still holds the Wisconsin record for most tackles for a loss in a single season, totaling 31 in 1998. He also holds the Badgers record with 22 total sacks in the 1998 season.rnrnHe’s second on the all-time Wisconsin Badgers sack total list with 32 QB sacks (one behind school leader Tarek Saleh ), and is third all time in Wisconsin history with 54 career tackles for a loss. He’s also tied with a slew of Badgers for sixth all-time with 4 career forced fumbles, and is tied for seventh all time with a pair of blocked kicks in his career.rnrnHe had a 5-sack game against Iowa in 1998, and was UW’s tackle leader in 1997 (86 total) and 1998 (100 total).rnrnIn 1998 he was named a unanimous consensus All-American, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and a Football News Player of the Year semi-finalist.rnrn Erasmus James: One of the best in school history at getting to the passer, Erasmus James totaled 18 sacks in three seasons at UW (2001-2002, 2004), the seventh best total in school history. rnrnJames is also the 15th leading tackler in school history, with 149 in his career, and sits tied with Joe Schobert behind only Chris Borland with 7 career forced fumbles.rnrnIn 2004 James was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Award and the Ted Hendricks Award.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Middle Linebackers" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_12706" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Sep 7, 2013; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Chris Borland (44) during the game against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin won 48-0. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Middle Linebackers rn Chris Borland: One of the best all-around defensive players in Wisconsin Badgers history, Chris Borland got off to a hot start as a freshman in 2009, winning the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, and after sitting out an injury redshirt season in 2010, he out together an impressive career. rnrn[related-tag tag="wisconsin football"]rnrnIn his career at Wisconsin he is sixth all time with 420 total tackles and fifth in solo tackles with 234. His 50.0 tackles for loss are the fourth best number in school history, while his 17 sacks are eighth best in the UW record book.rnrnHis 15 career forced fumbles set a new Big Ten record and is the second most in FBS history. His 53 games played is the second most in school history.rnrnHe was the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, a Lott IMPACT Trophy finalist, earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, was a consensus first team All-Big Ten player, and was a first team All-American according to the Football Writers Association of America.rnrnIn eight starts his rookie NFL season for the San Francisco 49ers, Borland was impressive. He totaled 108 tackles, a sack and 2 interceptions.rnrnIn spring of 2015, Chris Borland made the stunning decision to retire , citing his concern for head injuries. He decided to return three-fourths of his more than $600,000 signing bonus to the team.rnrn Pete Monty: From 1993 to 1996, all Pete Monty did was record tackle after tackle after tackle for the Badgers.rnrnHe holds the Wisconsin record for most career tackles, with 451. He’s third in career solo tackles with 260 over his time at UW. His single-season total of 178 tackles in 1996 is the second best single-season number in school history, behind only Dave Lokanc in 1972.rnrnMonty led Wisconsin in total tackles for three straight seasons from 1994 to 1996. He was a first team All-Big Ten selection in 1996, and was the team’s MVP that season. He was a captain in both 1995 and 1996.rnrnHe was a Rose Bowl winner with the Badgers in 1994.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Outside Linebackers" slider="true"]rnrn rn rn Embed from Getty Images rn rn rn All-Time Team: Outside Linebackers rn Tarek Saleh: From 1993 to 1996, Tarek Saleh became a dominant defensive end/outside linebacker for the Badgers, starting at outside linebacker in 1994 before transitioning to defensive end in 1995 and 1996, where he excelled at getting into the backfield. Saleh holds Wisconsin’s record with 58 career tackles for loss and 33 career sacks.rnrn[teamnews align="right" team="wisconsin badgers" sport="ncaa"]rnrnHe has the 2nd and 3rd best single season sack numbers in UW history, recording 14 in 1996 and 12 in 1995. Similarly his 23 tackles for loss in 1995 and 21 tackles for a loss in 1996 are the 5th and 6th best single-season marks in school history.rnrnHe led the Badgers with 74 total tackles in 1996. He was also a team captain in 1996, and in the final game of the season earned Copper Bowl Defensive MVP honors after he totaled 6 tackles, a pass defended and a blocked field goal in an upset victory over Utah.rnrnHe was a Football News second team All-American in 1995 and a Football News first team All-American in 1996, as well as a two-time (1995 and 1996) first team All-Big Ten linebacker.rnrn Tim Jordan: A Madison native, Tim Jordan headed to UW in 1983 and spent the next four seasons becoming a beast from his linebacker position.rnrnJordan was all over the field, and the Wisconsin football record book proves it. He had a six-sack game against Northwestern in 1985, the best single-game sack performance by a Badgers player. He finished the 1985 season with 11 sacks (fifth best single-season sack total in UW history) and finished his career with 27 total sacks, the 4th best mark in school history.rnrnHis 33 career tackles for loss are also the 14th best mark in school history, tying O’Brien Schofield and Nick Greisen.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Cornerbacks" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_38954" align="aligncenter" width="590"] January 20, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent speaks during the Pro Bowl Kickoff Press Conference at The Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Cornerbacks rn Jamar Fletcher: A cornerback in Madison from 1998 to 2000, Jamar Fletcher helped Wisconsin to back-to-back Rose Bowls. He was a ball-hawk throughout his Wisconsin career, totaling 21 interceptions during his time at UW, a school record. He also leads the Badgers in single-season and career intercept return yardage, as well as single-season (3) and career (5) interceptions returned for touchdowns.rnrnHe had seven interceptions apiece in the 1998, 1999 and 2000 seasons. He had a three-interception game in 2000 against Oregon.rnrnHe’s second all-time in UW history with 57 career passes defended and is third all-time with 36 pass breakups.rnrnFletcher won the 2000 Jim Thorpe Award and the 2000 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was a first team All-American in 1999 and a unanimous first team All-American in 2000. He was a first team All-Big Ten player in 1998, 1999 and 2000.rnrn Troy Vincent: One of the best defensive backs to ever walk the sidelines at UW, Vincent chose the Badgers out of his hometown of Trenton, New Jersey and played at Wisconsin from 1988-1991. He recorded 24 passes defended — including 13 in 1991 alone — and 21 pass breakups — 15 in 1991 — in his career.rnrnA skilled returner as well, he had three punt return touchdowns in his career and once amassed 246 total return yards in a single game, against Western Illinois in 1991. He left UW with 773 career punt return yards, then a school record (since broken by Jim Leonhard and Nick Davis ). He averaged 11.4 yards per return in his career.rnrnHe was a team captain in 1991, and earned the team MVP award as well as All-American and first-team All-Big Ten honors. He was named Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1991, as well, and was a Jim Thorpe Award semi-finalist.rnrn[nextpost teaser="All-Time Team: Safeties" slider="true"]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_26338" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns free safety Jim Leonhard (30) drives Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels (81) out of bounds during the second quarter at M&amp;T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn All-Time Team: Safeties rn Jim Leonhard: Our one and only double selection to the All-Time Team, Jim Leonhard was an impressive safety for the Badgers from 2001-2004, and during that time went from a walk-on out of Tony, Wisconsin to one of the best Badgers defensive backs in school history.rnrnLeonhard didn’t earn a scholarship at UW until his senior season, despite being a starter as a sophomore and a junior. In his career he set a single-season record with 11 interceptions in 2002 (also had seven interceptions in 2003), and tied Jamar Fletcher ‘s career record of 21 interceptions as a Badgers player. Leonhard also tied Mike Echols ‘ single-season record of 25 passes defended.rnrnIn 2002 he led all of college football with 0.79 interceptions per game. He led the Big Ten in that category in both 2002 and 2003. He totaled 281 tackles during his time at UW, the 21st-best total in school history at the time of his graduation. When he graduated, his 180 career solo tackles were the 13th best mark in school history. He was the Badgers leading tackler in both 2003 and 2004.rnrnLeonhard is fourth all-time at UW with 50 career passes defended, and is tied with Jack Ikegwuonu at fourth all-time at UW with 29 career passes deflected.rnrnHe was a semi-finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award for the nation’s best defensive back in 2004, and was a Lott IMPACT Award finalist the same year for the award given to the defensive who has the biggest impact on and off the field. He was also a 2004 finalist for the Draddy Award, or the “Academic Heisman.”rnrnHe earned some sort of All-American status each year from 2002-2004, and was a first-team All-Big Ten defensive back those same three years.rnrn Matt Vandenboom: With a name like VandenBoom, it would have been a shame if he wasn't a good defender. Luckily, Matt VandenBoom was among the best in school history in the defensive backfield for Wisconsin. rnrnA Kimberly, Wisconsin native, VandenBoom spent 1980-1982 on the UW campus. He burst onto the scene in 1981, picking off three passes in the season opener, helping the Badgers knock off top-ranked Michigan 21-14. He went on to finish the year with six total interceptions, tied for the best mark in the conference that season.rnrnIn 1981 he earned United Press First Team All-American status. He earned his second straight first Team All-Big Ten selection in 1982, and was a team captain in ’82 as well.rnrn[nextpost teaser="Top 10 Quarterbacks in Wisconsin Football History" url="https://badgerofhonor.com/2015/12/06/wisconsin-football-10-best-quarterbacks-in-wisconsin-badgers-history/"]rnrnThere are countless players who could have made it onto this list, and we want to hear who you think deserved consideration for one of the spots. Leave a comment below if you feel someone was missed or if you agree with the picks.

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