Wisconsin football mailbag: Young talent to watch, defensive tweaks, the No. 3 safety competition & more
Which freshmen can crack the Wisconsin football two-deep? Will the defense evolve? This mailbag tackles a position group I'm higher on than most, the No. 3 safety battle, and much more.
A new batch of Wisconsin football questions rolled in from BadgerNotes subscribers via email this week—and per usual, you guys delivered.
This mailbag hits on everything from which true freshmen could crack the two-deep for the Badgers this fall — to some of the evolving personnel changes we can expect to see on Wisconsin's defense and why I’ve got cautious optimism about the inside linebacker room in 2025.
We also dive into the tight end situation (spoiler: I’m skeptical), who I’d bet on as the Badgers No. 3 safety if a game were played tomorrow, and much more.
Let’s get into it...
Q: Which true freshman have the best chance to crack the two-deep this fall?
I know everybody gets excited about the true freshmen—understandably so—but it’s always worth tempering expectations.
Cracking the two-deep as a freshman isn’t impossible, especially with the way rosters turn over these days, but it also doesn’t guarantee that they'll see major snaps or even produce in a meaningful way.
That said, if I had to single out a few names, Eugene Hilton Jr. stands out. He’s plenty polished for his age and brings enough playmaking juice to make a case—especially if someone ahead of him doesn’t seize their opportunity.
The problem is, it’s a crowded room. You’ve got Vinny Anthony, Jayden Ballard, and Trech Kekahuna—all guys who are projected as starters. Chris Brooks Jr. had another strong spring, and if he stays healthy, he’s likely the next man up on the outside. Don’t forget Dekel Crowdus, either. He brings legit speed from the portal and will be in that mix, too.
Still, Hilton’s refined skill set gives him a shot to push for rotational snaps once he’s fully up to speed. It wouldn’t shock me if he worked his way into the mix because there is a real chance he could be viewed as a starting option next season.
Mason Posa is another name to keep in mind at inside linebacker behind Christian Alliegro, Tackett Curtis, and Western Carolina transfer Antarron Turner. He didn’t go through spring as Cooper Catalano did, and Tyler Jansey has been doing all the right things to be in the mix, but physically, Posa has "it"—if opportunity knocks, I won’t rule him out.
My wildcard? Nicolas Clayton. He’s raw, but there’s some impressive twitch as a pass rusher and a high ceiling. Maybe not full-time reps, but I could see Clayton earning some third-down work if things click. This room needs to produce.
Q: Do you think we’ll see more creative personnel packages on defense this season—like heavier edge bodies, niche roles, and situational fronts?
I think one of the biggest points of emphasis this offseason was Wisconsin’s clear desire to get bigger up front and expand the diversity of body types and skill sets in the front seven.
And because of that, we’re going to get a chance to see what Mike Tressel is really capable of drawing up—especially now that pressure to produce has become a hot topic. The seat’s getting warmer.
You’ve got guys like Corey Walker and Micheal Garner pushing 300 pounds playing on the edge—something we haven’t really seen here in recent years. Inside, they’ve added serious mass with transfers like Charles Perkins, Parker Petersen, and Jay’Viar Suggs. Even returners like Ben Barten, Dillan Johnson, and even Brandon Lane have bulked up in noticeable ways for 2025.
So yeah, they’ve now got the personnel to get heavy in the box and hold up against the run when needed. That’s huge.
"We played very good football against 11 personnel and spread-out teams, and I feel like we knew exactly what we were doing and had great confidence," Tressel acknowledged. "And when people started getting into bigger personnel, we didn't play the way we needed to. We did not stop the run the way we needed to. So, the mentality of stopping the run is first. The mentality of the physicality of this game of football, which is what this place has always been about, is what comes first.
"So in the offseason, we said, on our edges, we need to get bigger. We want to put our hand in the dirt and absolutely dominate. Could that result in a few less guys on the edge dropping? Yeah, but you know what? That means they get to rush. Now we get to be more aggressive."
They’ve also got some traditional outside linebackers and situational pass-rushers who bring a little upside. Tyreese Fearbry, Sebastian Cheeks, and Nicolas Clayton all flash the kind of bend and burst you want off the edge—guys who can pin their ears back and go. They need that dynamic.
Mason Reiger, the Louisville transfer, is probably the swing piece in that room. If Reiger's healthy, he can be a real factor—and they need him to be. But the injury bug hasn’t exactly left him alone. As for Darryl Peterson, he is what he is at this point—a solid early-down run defender who sets the edge but probably isn’t changing the game on third-and-long.
You’re also seeing some of the more versatile guys, like Aaron Witt and Thomas Heiberger, get moved around more. Both have taken reps off-ball and in Heiberger’s case, that flexibility could really matter if he stays healthy. There’s a clearer plan now for how these pieces are being used.
Roles are more defined. Depth charts are starting to stack behind similar body types. And that gives Wisconsin more flexibility to keep things fresh and tailor packages to their matchups each week.
Now, the flip side of that is if you’ve got a lot of guys who are good at one or two things, it probably means you don’t have many who can do everything. And that’s where the concern creeps in—especially given how inconsistent this defense has been at creating disruption the past couple of seasons under this staff.
But on paper? What they’re doing now makes a lot more sense. They’re leaning into body types, building out specialty roles, and I do think we’re going to see a more creative and flexible defense in 2025 because of it. I think they’ll take a step.
Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that this tight end room can get the job done in 2025—and what does “getting the job done” even look like in this offense?
If you had asked me this before spring ball, my answer would’ve looked a lot different. But right now? I’d put my confidence level at a 4 out of 10. Can’t go higher.
This was supposed to be a room led by Tanner Koziol—a veteran transfer who could stretch the field and be a real threat in the passing game. But for reasons that don’t need rehashing, that didn’t work out.
He re-entered the portal, and now you’re leaning on Tucker Ashcraft, who’s caught 20 balls for 168 yards and two scores over 612 snaps in his first two years. That’s the top option for Wisconsin.
They did bring in Lance Mason from Missouri State, who gives you some pass-catching upside and should factor in right away. I think he and Ashcraft can be serviceable. But after that, you’re looking at a bunch of role players. Jackson Acker is more of a fullback/hybrid piece you can move around. JT Seagreaves is a great athlete, but it hasn’t clicked yet. Grant Stec might take a step forward, but it’s mostly projection right now.
And to be honest, I’ve seen nothing yet that tells me Nate Letton can coach this group above its talent level. Over the last two years, the tight end room has averaged just 27 catches and 235 yards total. That’s it. So, until I see something different, I’m unconvinced it will change.
“I’m sure you notice—the tight ends do maybe more than any other position group when it comes to play types, and job responsibility, location, pre-snap, things like that,” Letton said. “We’ve got a lot of unique skill sets in the room… so what’s been fun is trying to find who the best is at certain things.”
Now, can they be solid? Sure. That’s the goal. And if they get there, it’ll still be a step forward. But I wouldn’t expect this room to be featured heavily or move the needle in this offense unless something changes fast. Time will tell.
Q: What’s one position group with real boom potential if everything clicks, that maybe not enough people are talking about right now?
The position group I’d circle as having real boom potential—if everything clicks—is inside linebacker. I’ve been high on Christian Alliegro since Day 1, and I’d put Tackett Curtis right there with him.
Curtis might’ve had my favorite high school tape of any defensive recruit I’ve ever watched. Both of those guys have another gear that, frankly, we haven’t seen from Wisconsin’s inside backers in a while.
Now, let’s be clear—athleticism alone doesn’t guarantee production. But Curtis is finally healthy after dealing with a hernia injury most of last year and plays with a screw loose, and Alliegro started to come on as the 2024 season went on.
Alliegro is athletic. He's disruptive and makes things happen.
If the defensive line improves like we expect, and those guys up front can keep Alliegro and Curtis clean, you’re looking at a duo that could fly around and make a ton of plays. I’m not necessarily projecting All-Big Ten honors or anything, but I do think the impact could be pretty obvious.
There’s not a ton of proven depth behind them, so they’re going to have to play a lot of snaps. But they’re cut from the right cloth—tough, athletic, instinctive. And if it all comes together, this could quietly be one of the more exciting position groups on the team after a few years of solid but unspectacular inside linebacker play.
And if some of those pieces—like Antarron Turner, Mason Posa, or Cooper Catalano—prove ready sooner than expected? The ceiling could climb even higher.
Q: If Wisconsin had to play a game today, who’s your pick to be the No. 3 safety? We’ve often seen a rotation guy get snaps on the back end.
I think bringing in Geimere Latimer—who was a bit of an under-the-radar portal pickup—did more for the back end of this defense than people probably realize. Locking down that nickel corner spot in spring allowed Austin Brown to slide back to safety, which is a more natural fit for him, even though he’s versatile and can play that big nickel role when needed.
Brown and Preston Zachman should be your starters. Zachman’s been one of the most consistent and reliable defenders on this team, and the two of them together give you a pretty steady pairing on the back end. That’s a solid starting point.
But to answer your question—if Wisconsin had to play a game today, I think Matt Jung would be the third safety for Jack Cooper.
He came in from the D3 level with video game numbers. That doesn’t guarantee anything in the Big Ten, but he’s got the physical tools, the work ethic, and a clear appreciation for the opportunity to play for his home-state program.
Everything I’ve heard about him suggests you’re going to get the absolute best version of the player—and the person.
"He's a grown man," Fickell said. "No matter where they play, at what division they play, guys that are passionate about the game—that love the game, they get better. I don't know what he was like coming out of high school. I don't know what he was like in the first year or so.
“But I can tell you this — he’s a grown man. He loves the game. He's passionate about the game. And for 15 practices, he did nothing but get better each and every day.
“He's going to really, really help us. He's got a bright future."
Richmond transfer Matthew Traynor is another guy in the mix, and some of the early enrollee freshmen had flashes this spring, but right now, I think Jung is the safest pick. He’s got a unique story, a fun skill set, and the kind of underdog makeup that fans in Madison tend to rally around.
The trio of Zachman, Brown, and Jung should be a pretty decent Big Ten group—above average, to be sure. And if things break right, there’s potential to punch above that mark. Jung, in particular, looks like a nice find for the Badgers—steady, physical, and capable of playing real snaps.
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