Last week, we began our breakdown of the 14 most important Wisconsin Badgers players for the 2025 season. Importance is dependent on positional value, how Wisconsin shapes up in that position room, and the quality of the player.
We now move on to Part 2 of our countdown for the most important players on the 2025 Wisconsin Football squad (Part 1 is here). Nobody found on here should shock any of you, but the order was a bit tricky to finalize.
No. 7: C Jake Renfro
Depending on how things shake out with
Renfro’s injury, this number could end up feeling too low–a healthy, talented center in offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes’ run-heavy scheme is incredibly important.
Details about the veteran’s injury are less than robust, but fans never want to hear “week-to-week” in a health report involving a starter, let alone a leader on an offensive line already damaged by injury.
Hopefully, Renfro is back by the Alabama game, but his injury history isn’t overly promising (he missed two full seasons in 2022 and 2023).
No. 6: RT Riley Mahlman
Are you sensing a theme here? While Mahlman has never been a star along the Badgers’ line, he has been a steady, effective player who will be counted on more than ever in 2025.
Staying healthy is an absolute must, and keeping him in bubble wrap during practice might be a wise move. He’s a guy with NFL aspirations, so finding another gear in his game as a senior would bode very well for both his draft prospects and Wisconsin’s fortunes this fall. Here’s to hoping it happens.
No. 5: OL Davis Heinzen
Yes, I just went OL/OL/OL, and can you blame me? With the Badgers’ horrific schedule, no position besides quarterback (more on that later) will be facing as much responsibility to perform.
All eyes will be on Heinzen, the Central Michigan transfer who was brought in after high-upside youngster Kevin Heywood went down with an ACL tear in spring camp.
I never got the sense that the expectations for Heinzen were particularly high, at least from fans and the media. But, by all accounts, he’s had a good camp and has solidified himself as a starter.
Will practice success translate into real games? That’s the hope, but there’s no question that Henizen has been one of the pleasant surprises of August for the Badgers.
No. 4: OLB Mason Reiger
If the talented, high-motor transfer Reiger can stay healthy this season (and that’s not a small “if”), having him at No. 4 will feel like an insult. He’s absolutely dominated fall camp, giving us all a fun window into his steep upside.
It has been a long spell since a Wisconsin edge has instilled fear into an opponent, and it looks like that’s about to be a thing again. Corey Walker, Sebastian Cheeks, and others can make Reiger even more effective by playing well themselves, but prepare yourselves for The Reiger Show, beginning on August 28th in Camp Randall.
No. 3: WR Vinny Anthony
Let’s be real here–wide receiver has not been a position of strength for Wisconsin for a long spell.
And while it’s highly unlikely that the Badgers will be a pass-heavy team in 2025, they have some nice options, led by speedy senior Vinny Anthony, who will try to build on his breakout 2024 campaign with a far better quarterback at his disposal now.
A proven deep threat, Anthony also has the kind of reliable hands that make him an asset anywhere on the field. And with the lightning-fast Jayden Ballard taking some of the pressure off, seeing Anthony hit another level this season wouldn’t be a bit surprising.
No. 2: CB Ricardo Hallman
Make no mistake, getting the reliable Hallman back was a huge deal for Wisconsin, especially in light of the ridiculous soap opera surrounding potential CB1 Nyzier Fourqurean, where the NCAA is definitely living up to its reputation for nonsense.
While Hallman wasn’t his best in 2024, he still was a solid cornerback, often covering the opponent’s best player. That won’t change in 2025, and Rico will get every opportunity to solidify his 2026 draft position.
His playing well and staying healthy will also be pivotal for the Badgers’ success.
No. 1: QB Billy Edwards, Jr.
No drum roll is needed here, as it’s obviously BEJ. The Badgers’ fortunes will be inexorably tethered to their ginger senior quarterback, who represents a huge and welcome upgrade from what the team was forced to roll out for most of 2024.
I don’t expect any massive numbers here, given Grimes’s scheme, but there is potential for playmaking all over the field.
To make things hum, Edwards must improve upon his 15:9 TD/INT ratio from last fall at Maryland, but the pieces in place should make that possible, if not likely. Oh, and one more thing: he must stay healthy, even if the quarterback room depth is in a far better spot right now compared to last season.
