Top ten Wisconsin football players of the season so far

2. S D’Cota Dixon

Wisconsin’s leading tackler is unsurprisingly the top defender on this list. Dixon has been fantastic this year and has tallied a stat in just about every category he can as a safety. He has 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, which both came on the same punt return against Iowa. Dixon has yet to record a sack or an interception on the season. But those plays are coming.

Dixon was one of the few players on the defense with experience coming into the season. Along with T.J. Edwards, Ryan Connelly, and Olive Sagapolu, Dixon needed to have a good year. The early success of the secondary was almost entirely in his hands. His performance so far is something the coaching staff has to be happy with. He’s one of the most consistent players on the team and can always find the football. It seems like I’m saying that about a lot of Badger defenders here.

Dixon’s versatility is what sets him apart from most safeties in the game. He can play in the box and make tackles all day long, and he can drop into coverage and take on several different kinds of assignments. He’s big and strong enough to cover tight ends and he’s light enough on his feet to cover running backs. And not only can he cover, but he can also seal the deal with his ball skills.

Dixon’s presence in the defensive backfield for the Badgers can’t be understated. He’s the most valuable player on the defense so far.