Wisconsin Football: Key players returning for 2021 season

The Wisconsin football team has some key contributors returning for the 2021 season.

The Wisconsin football team will be getting quite a boost for their 2021 season on both sides of the ball. On offense, tight end Jake Ferguson announced via Twitter that he would be returning again next season, rather than entering the NFL Draft. Ferguson finished the shortened season (seven games) with 30 catches, 305 yards, and four touchdowns, leading the team in all three categories. If it would have been a full season, he surely would have had career highs in all three of those categories.

Ferguson was a go-to security blanket for Graham Mertz, especially when the Badgers were without Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor for most of the season. I’m sure Mertz was pretty excited to learn that his First-Team All-Big Ten tight end was coming back.

The next two players are returning to the defensive side of the ball. First, linebacker Jack Sanborn announced he would be returning next season as well. Sanborn had a great year. He led the team in tackles (52) and also had a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble. Sanborn earned Third-Team All-Big Ten honors this season. He and Leo Chenal formed arguably one of the better linebacking duos in the conference. Having them both back for next season will be a big deal for Jim Leonhard and this Wisconsin defense in 2021.

Finally, cornerback Faion Hicks announced on Twitter that he would be back for his senior season. Hicks played in just five of the seven games the Wisconsin football team played this year. He was an important player to get back later in the year after Rachad Wildgoose was injured and lost for the year.

In the Duke’s Mayo Bowl game, Hicks had four tackles and two passes defended. His experience will be a big addition next year since Wildgoose already announced he was going to enter the NFL Draft this coming spring.