Badgers Freshman CB Xavier Lucas Makes Strong First Impression in Debut
The Badgers freshman cornerback has earned more opportunities.
Before the Wisconsin Badgers began their season, star cornerback Ricardo Hallman was already singing the praises of freshman Xavier Lucas, indicating to the media that this kid had a chance to be special.
And now, just one game into his college football career, the Florida native has done nothing to stop the hype train.
In Wisconsin's season opener against Western Michigan, Lucas made the most of his limited opportunities.
The freshman saw seven snaps in coverage, recording one tackle and an interception on the only pass thrown his way. While it’s a small sample size, Lucas's performance was enough to earn him an elite 92.1 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus.
With established starters like Hallman and senior Nyzier Fourqurean returning, along with Toledo transfer RJ Delancy and Jonas Duclona, the Badgers already have a fair amount of depth at cornerback. Yet, Lucas has shown that he’s ready to make an impact as a true freshman in 2024.
Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell spoke highly of Lucas after the game, underlining the natural abilities that have allowed the 6-foot-2 cornerback from Pompano Beach (Fla.) to make an early mark.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Badgernotes to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.