The Wisconsin Badgers are in offseason mode, paying attention to all the players jumping in the portal and working hard to keep their best ones from leaving. Luke Fickell has said that the investment for next year will be in both upgrading the portal and investing more in their current players. The ones they see as the foundational pieces.
Let's look at just seven players that Luke Fickell should work like crazy to keep in the fold. There are clearly others that Wisconsin should try to keep, but here are seven.
1. Mason Posa - Linebacker
Posa is a true freshman phenom and the number one player on this list that Luke Fickell needs to retain. He was a machine, totalling 58 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
2. Cooper Catalano - Linebacker
Another true freshman who played right alongside Posa and did his own damage. He had 56 total tackles, including 19 in the win over Washington. He also had two sacks. This young duo at linebacker needs to be here to stay and be a part of the future of where Wisconsin is going.
3. Dillin Jones - Running Back
Luke Fickell needs to keep one or two of the young running backs. Whether that's Dillin Jones, Gideon Ituka, or even Darrion Dupree, it seems as if Jones was the best when all were healthy, and so he may need to be the one Fickell invests in the most.
4. Joe Brunner - Guard
The offensive line ended up being overly young this season, and next year, they will all be older, so you could make a case for investing heavily in Colin Cubberly, Emerson Mandell, and other young guys. However, it needs to get better and faster. There's only one player on that line that plays at the expectation of the top of the Big Ten, and that's Joe Brunner. Build around him.
5. Eugene Hilton Jr. - Wide Receiver
While he only had eight receptions for 91 yards, the true freshman showed flashes of brilliance. He's someone who can take the reins next season as Vinny Anthony and other upperclassmen have graduated. Hilton, with a competent quarterback, could be very dangerous. This list could also very easily feature Trech Kekahuna.
6. Carter Smith - Quarterback
This won't be a pro-Carter Smith "should be the starter next year" article. Luke Fickell has to go into the portal and get a star quarterback. However, investing in Smith preserves the future, too. He's shown he can handle the load; he's just a touch slow in reading defenses and responding to the speed of the college game. That's super normal for a true freshman. Now that he has the reps, he can continue to develop.
7. Omillio Agard - Defensive Back
Agard was the freshman who took the most snaps for defensive backs. Before the season, it became clear that one of the freshmen, whether true or redshirt, would have to play a lot. Agard rose to the top. He had 22 tackles, an interception, and a sack on the season.