Kayden Lyles is being thrown right into his new position

Kayden Lyles is being used right away during the first days of camp.  Will this continue throughout camp and how effective can Lyles be at his new position?

When spring practices began it was expected that redshirt freshman Kayden Lyles would continue to work as an interior offensive lineman.  After injuries along the defensive line began to pile up, the Wisconsin coaches decided to make a bold decision.  They asked Lyles to abandon his position and make a switch to the defensive line.  After the first days of camp, it appears that there is no backing away from the decision.

You have to love seeing Lyles mixing it up during the first couple of practices at his new position.  For me personally, I always like to see some fight in young players.  It shows that they have something to prove and the desire to make an impact.  Lyles is proving to have the mentality it takes to be effective within the interior of the line.  Badger fans should also be encouraged that Lyles is being played at defensive end.  The coaches must have confidence in his athleticism and speed to handle a position played out in space despite being 320 pounds.

It seems that Lyles has been fitting in quite well with his new defensive linemen.  His chemistry and relationship with Olive Sagapolu have been well-documented.  Kayden Lyles could not have a better teacher in Sagapolu at his disposal.  Sagapolu is a senior who has experienced just about everything a defensive lineman can in college football.  According to Jeff Potrykus, Sagapolu and Lyles’ friendship and teamwork go well beyond just the gridiron.  They are actually roommates and have created quite a special bond.  They go over tape together, work on technique and quiz each other on the playbook.  This relationship reminds me a lot of the friendship between D’Cota Dixon and Scott Nelson last year which has proven to be quite effective, as Nelson has been running with the starters early on.

It is not like Lyles is entirely out of his element.  Lyles was an accomplished defensive lineman in high school and was actually recruited as a player who could potentially play on either side of the ball.  Also, Michael Deiter spoke very highly about Lyles’ ability to play defense.  During Big Ten Media Days, Deiter discussed how Lyles often gave the offensive line the best opposition in practice last year.  That is high praise from a potential early-round NFL draft pick.

Lyles most likely has a long way to go in order to receive full confidence from the defensive coaches, but all signs look to be pointing in the right direction.  Look for Lyles to continue to progress during camp and provide some quality play during the non-conference schedule.