Wisconsin Football Player Spotlight: Sophomore CB Madison Cone

Madison Cone is expected to play major snaps at cornerback this year.

The cornerback position is one of the biggest question marks on the entire roster. There is very little known at the position, but plenty of bodies for defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to try out. Madison Cone is someone I have a good feeling about and I think he’s going to be the starter opposite of Dontye Carriere-Williams in week one.

Recruiting

Cone was a three-star defensive back from Kernersville, North Carolina that chose Wisconsin over ACC programs like Virginia Tech and Duke. Cone was undersized, but he showed good athleticism and ball skills. Throughout his high school career, he tallied up 27 interceptions and 51 pass breakups. Had he been taller, I imagine he would’ve been rated higher as a recruit. Cone was a good basketball player in high school too, which gives him more of an athletic advantage.

Last Year

Cone didn’t see much playing time last year but did make a play on the biggest stage of the year. In the Orange Bowl, Cone notched his only pass breakup of the season. He was a true freshman playing behind two seniors, Derrick Tindal and Nick Nelson, and Carriere-Williams had solidified himself as the primary slot cornerback. He participated in nine games as a rotational piece.

Looking Ahead

Cone is now ahead of the game compared to most of the other cornerbacks on the roster. He has a solid year of game experience while most of his competition for the second starting cornerback spot either redshirted last year or were in high school. Cone said in an interview that he’s happy he didn’t redshirt, even though his snaps were limited last season. His experience traveling with the team and being part of the game plan has given him a leg up on the competition to be a starter this fall.

Cone is undersized, as he’s currently listed at 5’9 and 176 pounds, but he’s a great athlete and he’s confident going into the season. He emerged from Spring practice as the favorite to start opposite of Carriere-Williams, and I think that’s all the momentum he’ll need as fall camp carries on. Shorter cornerbacks have to do more to get by than their taller counterparts. Cone will be able to bring something to the table that most corners don’t. If he isn’t limited completely by his size, he should be a solid playmaker for the Badgers in 2018.

I expect Cone to be around the ball a lot this year. As a smaller corner, he will be targetted by opposing offenses. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to snag interceptions and rack up the pass breakups just as he did in high school.