Badgers Offensive and Defensive Lines Have Huge Disparity in 247 Sports Rankings

247 Sports have begun to put out their Big Ten rankings for each of the position groups for 2024. So far, both the offensive and defensive lines have been analyzed and the Badgers have a huge disparity on their hands.

The offensive line group ranked 4th in the conference with 247 Sports saying,

"The continued implementation of an Air Raid offense at Wisconsin gets a boost with three returning starters on the line: Huber, Mahlman and Nelson. Despite struggling with consistency in the new system last season under offensive coordinator, the Badgers had the fifth-lowest sack rate per pass play among teams in the expanded Big Ten...There is optimism the Badgers could once again field one of the best offensive lines in the Big Ten."

Fourth out of 18 isn't bad considering last season the group was thought to be one of the weaker lines in recent memory. Another year in the system will certainly help a group that has potentially two or three NFL caliber players along the front.

The Badger defensive line, however, ranked as the number 11 group in the conference with 247 saying,

"Other than Thompson, Wisconsin does not have much for returning production on the defensive line in 2024. That is not to say this unit will be the weakness of the Badgers' defense, but it is a critical area if they want to finish in the top half of the Big Ten this season."

The defensive looks to be the weakest part of the defense once again but could be helped buy the edge talent the Badger brought in this season through the portal. John Pius and Leon Lowry, two new transfers, could set the tone and either could push for double-digit sacks this season.

There seems to be some stark differences in the trenches for the Badgers this year, but it's like they say, iron sharpens iron. Maybe come August these two groups will be closer in skill than most people expect.