Projecting Wisconsin Football's Depth Chart: Defense

Wisconsin's 2024 defense was frustrating to say the least. One week they'd be utterly shut down, then the next, they'd be giving up 40 points to Iowa or Nebraska. For as confusing of a season it was on that side of the football, one thing was clear: the defensive front was not good enough.

The Badgers ranked last in FBS in tackles for loss, allowed 165 rush yards per game and combined for 17 total sacks. So it makes tons of sense why they were so eager to overhaul the defensive line and edge rushers through the transfer portal. If spring practice is any indicator, Wisconsin fans should be much more optimistic about the front in 2025. And when you pair the supposedly improved line with a secondary that returns most of its top talent, something special could be brewing in Madison.

Here's how I see the defense shaping up following the spring transfer portal window:

Interior Defensive Line

Jay'Viar Suggs and Charles Perkins might be the best two players in this group from a talent standpoint, but I anticipate a four-player rotation. There's some conern about how many snaps Perkins will be able to handle (he's a monstrous human being), and Parker Petersen and Ben Barten could be more effective than at least Suggs as run stoppers. Petersent looked to be the team's top run stopper throughout camp, though he didn't quite make as many plays as Perkins or Suggs against the pass. Barten is one of the most veteran players on the team, and after bulking up this offseason, he should stay involved with the ones.

I think there's space for a fifth player to enter the rotation, but they'll have to earn it. From the three-player second team, Brandon Lane would be my pick for the spot. The redshirt senior made plenty of negative plays throughout spring, and I'll be looking at his fall camp performance extra closely. Dillan Johnson and Jamel Howard saw some action with the ones late in spring practice, and each had some positive plays, but likely won't be involved much until 2026.

Edge Rushers (OLB/DE)

This is purely a guessing game. It was a revolving door off the edge throughout the spring, and all indications are it'll be a rotation. That being said, there's some players I feel confident will see action early. Corey Walker transferred in from Western Michigan and looked, at times, to be Wisconsin's best all-around edge during camp. Though the Badgers may turn elsewhere on obvious passing downs, Walker is the player I'm most confident in at this point. Michael Garner is another transfer who turned heads during the spring, especially down the stretch. The Grambling transfer had to earn first-team reps, but he caused plenty of headaches over the final handful of practices and should firmly be in the mix for snaps in the fall. The final name I'll lump into the First Team is veteran Darryl Peterson. Peterson was probably the best edge rusher in an awful position group in 2024, and I think there's a very real chance he gets passed over by some of the new additions or younger players. However, he's got a ton of experience within the system which will give him the edge right now.

Mason Reiger is a massive unknown. The Louisville transfer didn't play in 2024 due to a knee injury and underwent another surgery this offseason after committing to the Badgers. He was unavailable for all of Spring. Reiger notched five sacks for the Cardinals in 2023 and landed an 85.8 pass rush grade per Pro Football Focus. If he can get back to his 2023 form, Reiger will likely be part of the first-team rotation, but that might be a large ask. Aaron Witt and Sebastian Cheeks don't fully fit the mold of edge rushers, with both being tasked with dropping into coverage on occasion. Yet, both return from the 2024 roster and could play a role. Based on spring practice performance, Cheeks is more likely to be an impact player. Tyrese Fearbry rounds out this batch, but he shouldn't be overlooked. The Kentucky transfer looks the part of a high-level pass rusher, with the speed and finesse to make tackles look silly. He still needs to become more consistent, but he could be a weapon for Defensive Coordinator Mike Tressel on second or third and longs.

The third team consists of players like Fearbry but younger. Willor, Toombs and Clayton went through stretches of being completely dominant, albeit against a makeshift second-string offensive line. Willimas will join the team this Summer but is rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and shouldn't go without mention. Best case scenario, these rushers can see a handful of snaps per game in particularly advantageous sets based on their skillsets. Otherwise, they'll be building blocks for the future.

Inside Linebackers

I'm eager to see the duo of Alliegro and Curtis take the field this fall. Both players are outstanding athletes with great closing speed and a high ceiling. Though the snap counts didn't reflect it, Alliegro may have been the best linebacker on last year's team and is only getting better. Curtis was rather volatile in 2024, and the hope is that he'll be able to erase some of those easy mistakes as a junior. This is the unquestioned starting group.

Western Carolina transfer Antarron Turner seems to be the clear third option. He was solid in the run game and got after the quarterback on several occasions during spring camp. After that, it's pretty open. Garrison Solliday seemed to have a leg up on the rest of the pack during spring, and he excelled against the run. However, true freshman Cooper Catalano has made a compelling case to be in the conversation for second-team action. Catalano may have been Wisconsin's third best linebacker for sections of spring, boasting impressive speed to pair with his strong instincts. It wouldn't shock me if he kept climbing the depth chart during fall camp.

Landon Gauthier and Tyler Jansey had some nice moments this spring but it's really hard to see a path to snaps, especially with Catalano's surge. Then, who knows what Thomas Heiberger and Mason Posa will look like. Heiberger missed all of 2024 with a knee injury and sustained what seemed like a signficant injury to that same leg during spring practice. It's unclear how long he'll be sidelined. Posa comes as a highly touted recruit, and he has some of the traits you frequently see in Wisconsin's best linebackers.

Safeties

Wisconsin had a big hole to fill after Hunter Wohler's departure to the NFL, and it found a solution from within. Austin Brown, having put on weight and added muscle, looked the part of a Wohler replacement this Spring, showcasing the physicality and range to make the switch from nickelback to strong safety. Brown still will line up in the slot on occasion, but he seems to be Preston Zachman's running mate. Pro Football Focus graded Zachman as the third best safety in the Big 10 (minimum 400 snaps), and he'll look to make a leap into all-league conversations.

The question marks in the safety room come with the reserves. Matt Jung (Division III Bethel University) and Matt Traynor (Richmond University) form a second-team duo aptly named "The Matts". Both are making significant jumps in competition. Jung was one of the best players in Division III last season and has ball-hawking instincts that figure to translate well. He looked up to speed during spring camp. Traynor wasn't at 100 percent throughout camp, limiting the sophomore's impact. Still, I anticipate Traynor to be a backup safety from the start.

Charlie Jarvis and early enrollees Grant Dean and Luke Emmerich seem to be the likeliest candidates for third team reps. Both Dean and Emmerich caught some eyes during spring camp, but it's unclear exactly who'd be first up should Wisconsin be thin in the secondary.

Cornerbacks

No surprises here. Ricardo Hallman and Nyzier Fourqurean will hold down the boundary corner positions for a second straight year. The bigger news comes at the nickelback spot. Geimere Latimer, a Jacksonville State transfer, emerged as a more than viable option at the position after opening spring camp primarily playing on the outside. When the Badgers have five defensive backs on the field, Latimer will almost certainly be guarding the slot, but safety Austin Brown could hold down the position if Wisconsin goes with a heavier set.

Omillio Agard had an exceptional spring and was rewarded with plenty of second-team reps. The redshirt freshman likely won't see much action when the cornerback room is at full health, but the future looks bright. D'Yoni Hill transferred in from Miami before we knew Hallman and Fourqurean would be returning for the 2025 campaign, and although he may not see much first-team action, Hill should be a serviceable depth piece.

Owen Arnett is listed as a safety, but if he sees any action this season, I'd expect it to come at the nickel. He was the clear third option at the position behind Latimer and Brown, and Luke Fickell even hinted that Hallman could see action in the slot. The rest of the corners are freshmen, but Jai'mier Scott and Cairo Skanes each had some flashes during spring ball.