The Wisconsin Badgers are kicking off the season this Thursday against the Miami (OH) Redhawks, with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m. at Camp Randall Stadium for the opener.
With head coach Luke Fickell speaking to the media on Monday, the Badgers revealed their highly anticipated depth chart for Week 1 on Monday, and there’s quite a bit to dissect.
Here’s the depth chart, courtesy of BadgerConnect’s Jesse Temple.
Looking at
the offensive side of the ball, it’s notable that Danny O’Neil is listed as the backup quarterback without an ‘OR’ by his name, as there is at other positions. That suggests the sophomore has won the No. 2 job over senior transfer Hunter Simmons heading into Week 1.
At the end of fall camp, head coach Luke Fickell had said the Badgers were going to evaluate the film heading into the season and make a decision on the No. 2 job. Now, it’s going to O’Neil.
At running back, Dilin Jones is the starter, while Darrion Dupree and Cade Yacamelli are both listed as backups. Those are the three backs expected to play in 2025, but it’s notable to see Jones as the starter. Back in the spring, the redshirt freshman was the back I was most impressed with, as Jones’s powerful, but elusive rushing style fits well with offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes’s scheme.
At wide receiver, Chris Brooks Jr. is listed as a starter over Ohio State transfer Jayden Ballard. Now, this may be just because of early-down packages, as Brooks’s frame makes him a suitable blocker in heavier packages. But, the Badgers’ coaching staff has been impressed with Brooks throughout the offseason as the wideout has been fully healthy for the first time in a while.
True freshman Eugene Hilton is also listed in the two-deep as a backup to Vinny Anthony alongside Hawaii transfer Dekel Crowdus. It’s again notable that the true freshman is already on the two-deep after a very strong fall camp. Near the end of fall camp, Grimes shared that he expects Hilton to play early on.
At tight end, both Jackson Acker and Missouri State transfer Lance Mason are listed as starters. Mason and junior Tucker Ashcraft were expected to be here before the latter’s injury, so Acker is stepping into a bigger role.
Wisconsin will use more tight ends in Grimes’s run-oriented offense, so redshirt freshman Grant Stec could get some quality playing time early as well.
Along the offensive line, there are no surprises with the starting group. Davis Heinzen takes over at left tackle after transferring in during the spring portal window. Redshirt freshman Emerson Mandell emerged as the starter at right guard.
Among the backups, the Badgers moved JP Benszchawel to tackle for depth, so he seems like a swing tackle candidate alongside Leyton Nelson. Additionally, Kerry Kodanko is currently the backup right guard, while redshirt freshman Ryan Cory is the backup center. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Wisconsin leaned on Kodanko, though, to fill the center role if starter Jake Renfro is hurt.
Defensively, the Badgers are looking much different up front. Ben Barten and Parker Peterson are listed as co-starters at one defensive line spot, while Jay’viar Suggs and Brandon Lane are at the other spot. It’s notable that Charles Perkins is listed as a second-teamer, but Wisconsin expects to rotate this group a good amount.
At outside linebacker, Corey Walker and Sebastian Cheeks have eclipsed senior Aaron Witt, with the former lining up as a starter for much of the offseason. On the other side, Darryl Peterson returns to his post, but Louisville transfer Mason Reiger should play a significant role, especially as a pass-rusher.
It’s a youth movement at inside linebacker. Juniors Christian Alliegro and Tackett Curtis are the starters. True freshmen Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa have quickly emerged as the backups at one spot, while Heiberger is listed as the backup at the other. Heiberger moved to inside linebacker this offseason, initially playing in a hybrid role with Witt.
At cornerback, Miami transfer D’Yoni Hill and redshirt freshman Omillio Agard are listed as co-starters opposite Ricardo Hallman. True freshmen Cairo Skanes and Jaimier Scott are the backups there, showing the depth Wisconsin has at the position.
At safety, though, Wisconsin returns both Preston Zachman and Austin Brown, with transfers Matthew Traynor and Matt Jung backing them up. This has the potential to be one of the stronger rooms on the roster in 2025.
There are quite a few changes across the board with this roster, and the two-deep represents that heading into Week 1.
