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Wisconsin Football: Putting the inside linebacker in tiers

By Dillon Graff

Dec 19, 2020; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Leo Chenal (45) celebrates his third down tackle that stopped a Minnesota Golden Gophers advance during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 19, 2020; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Leo Chenal (45) celebrates his third down tackle that stopped a Minnesota Golden Gophers advance during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Wisconsin football team has become an inside-linebacker factory for the better part of the last decade, and that tradition looks to continue in 2021. As the Badgers begin to wrap up fall camp and prepare for week one, here is a look at where things stand in the inside linebacker room.

Tier 1: The All-Conference pairing

  • Jack Sanborn – Sr.
  • Leo Chenal – Jr.

You would be hard-pressed to find a better inside linebacker pairing in all of the college football right now. Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal are at the epicenter of everything this Wisconsin defense does. Both Sanborn and Chenal are NFL caliber and aren’t going to be taken off the field unless completely necessary. Each player is likely to be named to an All Big-Ten list at the season’s end, possibly earning even greater honors.

Tier 2: The unofficial 3rd starter

  • Mike Maskalunas – Sr.

Mike Maskalunas is back for a sixth season with the Wisconsin football team. The reason I have him listed in a tier of his own as an “unofficial third starter” is due to the fact that he’s appeared in 41 games over the last four seasons and would be a starter at plenty of power five conferences around the nation. He’s a luxury that most teams don’t have and is a player that the team feels comfortable giving snaps. Should the badgers suffer an injury, they have a terrific plug-and-play option in Maskalunas.

Tier 3: Climbing the depth chart

  • Jordan Turner – Fr.

I also put Jordan Turner in his own tier because entering fall camp, he wasn’t totally expected to be in the mix. For myriad reasons Turner got some added run and had a really strong showing, propelling him up the depth chart – possibly into the two-deep. He’s a very physical linebacker that can move well for his size (230 lbs) and lay the wood. I really like Turner’s chances of starting at inside linebacker this time next season.

Tier 4: Solid depth

  • Maema Njongmeta – So.
  • Tatum Grass – So.

Maema Njongmeta and Tatum Grass are just barely on the outside looking in. Neither is expected to play many snaps, but have earned the right to be in the mix during the fall. Specifically walk-on Tatum Grass. Had Grass not missed some time in camp he very well could have broken camp in the two-deep, he’s someone this coaching staff has been really impressed by.

Njongmeta is still a very young, athletic option at inside linebacker – but just hasn’t run away with his opportunities when he’s had them. He’ll be an interesting player to monitor next season when both starting inside linebacker spots might be vacant.

Tier 5: The future

  • Jake Ratzlaff – Fr.
  • Bryan Sanborn – Fr.
  • Jake Chaney – Fr.

Despite not being named in the tiers above, Wisconsin football has several terrific young scholarship players on the rise. The future of Wisconsin’s inside linebacker room is definitely bright, and it should be the way the Badgers have churned out linebackers to the NFL as of late.

Jake Ratzlaff is someone I’m incredibly high on. He has a chance to be a special player now that he’s committing to football on a permanent basis. He is explosive and has the versatility to play outside linebacker as well. I think those traits will serve him well as a play-maker on the inside. I expect his rise up the depth chart to be rapid, he could be a difference-maker sooner than later.

Bryan Sanborn is the younger brother of starter, Jack Sanborn. Bryan isn’t quite as good of an athlete as his brother, but their games are actually quite similar. Bryan is already quite polished for a true freshman, so don’t be surprised if you hear his name mentioned next season as a player in the mix for the two-deep.

Jake Chaney is a little undersized for the position but plays with incredible toughness. He reminds many of a young Chris Orr which is obviously high praise. He needs some time to acclimate and develop in the system this season, but he’s absolutely capable of being a contributor for the Wisconsin football team at the position down the road.