The Wisconsin Badgers had some major roster turnover this offseason, with a number of rooms completely overhauled via the transfer portal.
Among them? The cornerback room, which brought in Arizona State transfer Javan Robinson, Ohio State transfer Bryce West, Oklahoma State transfer Eric Fletcher, and Florida State transfer Cai Bates from the transfer portal.
All three of Wisconsin’s starters from last season are no longer on the team, and the Badgers elected to go the potential route with a ton of their
additions. While Robinson was a multi-year starter, West, Fletcher, and Bates all don’t have much playing time under their belt, which led to a competition this offseason.
One of the biggest risers in the spring was redshirt freshman Jai’mier Scott, who is competing with Fletcher for the starting spot on the field side. A three-star recruit in the Class of 2025, Scott wasn’t a household name during the recruiting process, but was an intriguing piece in the secondary that could play either cornerback or safety. He’s certainly made his name known this offseason.
But a key part of the room is the increased depth, which Wisconsin did not have last season. The Badgers have multiple options at each corner spot, while also improving the overall talent of the room.
With competition comes overall growth, and there have been a few players who have grown quite a bit this offseason. Who has grown the most in cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples’s eyes since the spring?
“Everybody’s had their day. I think, when you think of from spring ball to fall camp, I think the biggest jump I’ve seen is probably Cai Bates,” Steeples said. “He’s playing to his size. He’s playing big corner football. So I really like seeing that from him.
However, Steeples also noted that the whole room has grown in different ways.
“Jai’mier [Scott is] continuing to grow and being instinctive in his coverage. I think J- Rob (Javan Robinson) is being a lot more vocal with his leadership. And then, like I said previously, just with Fletch (Eric Fletcher), he’s been challenging himself but I would say, from spring to now, I would say Cai made a hell of a jump playing to his size. And then Bryce [West] just showing his versatility, being able to help us on the outside [as well as the nickel].”
Wisconsin will expect more from its cornerback room this offseason, as they try to be one of the top defenses in the country this season. With the depth they have, all four of their top outside corners should play, which is a good sign for keeping players fresh throughout the season.
