Wisconsin football defensive two-deep projection for spring practice
Here is a look at the projected two-deep depth chart for the Wisconsin football team's defense, with spring practice just around the corner.
The University of Wisconsin football team's defense had its moments in 2024, but far too often, those flashes of potential were overshadowed by head-scratching performances that left fans frustrated.
The Badgers went toe-to-toe with College Football Playoff teams like Penn State and Oregon, yet in other matchups, they were overmatched in ways that illustrated just how far the program still has to go.
The defense surrendered 40-plus points in three games—something that hadn’t happened since Wisconsin last missed a bowl in 2001. And their struggles against the run were even more alarming, allowing an average of 165 rushing yards per game, the team’s worst mark since 2005.
To make matters worse, Wisconsin got completely outclassed in its biggest rivalry games, getting outscored 110-42 in losses to Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota—marking the first time in program history that all three rivalry trophies left Madison in the same season. Not great, Bob.
All that to say, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel has plenty to prove and is firmly on the hot seat in 2025 after a season defined by inconsistency and year-to-year regression, even after hand-picking transfer talent to run his system.
According to Game on Paper, the defense finished 76th nationally in EPA per play, 45th in EPA per dropback, and a troubling 89th in EPA per rush. Scoring defense? 47th. Total defense? 41st. Those numbers aren’t just below Wisconsin’s standard—they don’t come particularly close.
“I’ve been coaching for a good while, playing this game for a good while, and I don’t know that I’ve been in a position and situation like this, to be honest with you,” Luke Fickell said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, a lot of things to get done, a lot of things we got to fix up and correct.”
So, where does Wisconsin go from here? With plenty to fix and even more to prove, here’s an early look at how the Badgers’ defensive two-deep projects to shake out heading into spring practice.
Defensive line
DL: Jay’viar Suggs / Ben Barten
DL: Parker Petersen / Dillan Johnson
DL: Charles Perkins OR Corey Walker
Others: Brandon Lane, Drayden Pavey, Torin Pettaway, Xavier Ukponu.
Wisconsin’s defensive line has undergone a complete overhaul, making it one of the toughest positions to project heading into the season. The Badgers needed to get bigger and much more physical up front, and they’ve brought plenty of new personnel to try and make that happen.
I expect we’ll see three down linemen with a fourth serving as a hybrid pass rusher standing up, giving the defense more flexibility in different looks. With the mix of returning players and portal additions, Wisconsin has built a group that should be better equipped to hold up against the run while still generating some pressure up front—though, that’s not a high bar to clear relative to last season's production.
Based on conversations I’ve had heading into spring ball, my expectation is that Parker Petersen and Jay’viar Suggs will step into starting roles right away, with the final spot likely coming down to Charles Perkins or Corey Walker. Walker brings some pass-rushing upside after posting 5.5 sacks at Western Michigan last season, while Perkins, an FCS Freshman All-American in 2023, projects more as a run stuffer at this level.
Ben Barten played a major role on the defensive line for E.J. Whitlow last season and should be in the two-deep. Dillan Johnson earned 139 defensive snaps as a true freshman and will compete for a starting job in camp, with Brandon Lane also being in the mix to see the field.
There are a lot of new faces, but Wisconsin has added depth and created some much-needed competition up front. Whether this group ends up being any better than last season remains to be seen, but you have to give credit to the staff for addressing such a glaring weakness.
Inside linebackers
ILB: Christian Alliegro / Antarron Turner
ILB: Tackett Curtis / Tyler Jansey
Others: Landon Gauthier, Cooper Catalano, Mason Posa, Garrison Solliday.
Christian Alliegro broke out as a sophomore, finishing second on the team in tackles (66) and tackles for loss (5.5) while tying for the team lead in sacks (three). Alliegro passes the eye test and has the athleticism needed to be an impact playmaker on the inside.
Next to Alliegro projects to be Tackett Curtis, who didn't have the season he expected after recovering from offseason hernia surgery, but the USC transfer flashed his potential when healthy. Curtis registered 27 total tackles, 10 stops, and 1.5 tackles for loss in 183 defensive snaps.
With Jake Chaney and Jaheim Thomas out of the picture, the starting linebacker spots should be set heading into spring. That said, a handful of young players will have a chance to push for roles.
Behind them, offseason portal addition Antarron Turner should have a chance to mix in with the second team after a solid season at FCS Western Carolina. Turner will provide some experience in the two deep at the Mike linebacker spot. Tyler Jansey is another young, physical player that this staff likes. He made some noise in fall camp a year ago and will have his chance to carve out a role this spring.
The Badgers also signed a pair of promising inside linebackers in the 2025 class. In-state talent Cooper Catalano shattered Wisconsin’s all-time high school tackling record with 583 total for his career. Mason Posa, a four-time state wrestling champion who won't arrive on campus until this summer, notched 133 tackles and 21 tackles for loss as a senior.
I wouldn't be shocked to see Posa push for a spot in the two-deep if he can get up to speed quickly enough because all the physical tools are there.
Outside linebackers
OLB: Mason Reiger / Thomas Heiberger
OLB: Darryl Peterson / Aaron Witt
Others: Tyreese Fearbry, Micheal Garner, Sebastian Cheeks, Ernest Willor, Nicolas Clayton, Samuel Lateju, Jaylen Williams.
Wisconsin’s outside linebackers didn’t generate nearly enough pressure last season, and the hope is that offseason transfer portal additions Mason Reiger and Tyresse Fearbry, plus some steps forward from some of the returning talent, can help change that to some degree.
Reiger missed the 2024 season at Louisville due to injury but ranked second on the team with five sacks the year prior—more than any Badger managed last season. Darryl Peterson, meanwhile, struggled in a role that had him putting his hand in the dirt at times, but he notched 4.5 sacks two years ago and could rebound with a more defined pass-rushing role.
Fearbry, who brings intriguing upside, is someone that this staff plans to use as a field-side outside linebacker. Fearbry showed flashes as a rotational piece during his time at Kentucky and has some bend and explosiveness this room lacked the past two seasons. At worst, a third-down role where he is asked to get after quarterbacks makes sense.
Aaron Witt has opted to return for a sixth season, giving Wisconsin an experienced presence off the edge after leading the outside linebacker room with 4.5 tackles for loss last season. Witt is considered one of the best run defenders among this group and will undoubtedly be in the mix.
That said, Thomas Heiberger was poised for a rotational role before suffering a preseason injury and should have a chance to break through in his second season with the program. Heiberger's physical tools give him arguably the most upside of anyone on the roster, and he is my pick to leapfrog some of the veteran players ahead of him on the depth chart.
Sebastian Cheeks is another player who made the most of his limited opportunities after moving to the outside in fall camp, and he'll compete for snaps alongside transfer Micheal Garner from Grambling State and a host of talented young pass-rushers this staff has brought in.
This room needs to take a big step forward under position coach Matt Mitchell after two subpar years by any unit of measure.
Cornerback
CB: Ricardo Hallman / Geimere Latimer
CB: Nyzier Fourqurean / D'Yoni Hill
NB: Austin Brown / Omilio Agard
Others: Jay Harper, Cairo Skanes, Jahmare Washington, Owen Arnett.
Even with the complete overhaul at quarterback, I’d argue no position has had a more chaotic offseason for Wisconsin than cornerback.
Ricardo Hallman took his sweet time deciding whether to return for a fifth season, leaving Wisconsin in limbo at one of its most important positions. Meanwhile, Amare Snowden, Jonas Duclona, and Jace Arnold—all part of the 2023 recruiting class—hit the transfer portal, either due to a lack of opportunity or not seeing eye to eye with position coach Paul Haynes.
Then there’s the Xavier Lucas situation, where he may or may not have signed a contract with Wisconsin before backing out, unenrolling from the school, and ultimately landing at his long-rumored destination: Miami.
All of that turnover left Wisconsin’s cornerback room in desperate need of reinforcements. Fortunately for the Badgers, Hallman chose to return to Madison, and through a lawsuit of his own, Nyzier Fourqurean was granted another year of eligibility—though that remains contingent on the NCAA losing its appeal to overturn the ruling. If Fourqurean's additional year holds up, this team will have its starting duo from 2024 intact.
Despite that, Wisconsin was active in the transfer portal and signed D’Yoni Hill and Geimere Latimer. Hill brings experience after starting nine games at Marshall in 2023 and five at Miami last season. Latimer, meanwhile, played 669 snaps for Jacksonville State, finishing with 46 tackles and three interceptions. Those transfers should provide useful depth behind the returning starters and help bridge the gap to some of the younger players like Jay Harper, Omilio Agard, and the freshman.
One of the biggest decisions will be at slot corner. Brown is a safety by trade but logged 266 of his 459 snaps in the slot last season, giving him plenty of experience if the staff wants to go that direction. Latimer played 96 snaps at the position last year, while Hill saw 29 snaps in that role. Owen Arnett also has experience playing inside, though most of it has come in practice. Agard's high school film also suggests he could be a fit in the slot.
How Wisconsin chooses to handle that job will be something to monitor heading into spring because the safety room also has question marks. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Badgers back in the corner market after getting the opportunity to evaluate their personnel during spring ball.
Safety
SS: Matthew Traynor / Matt Jung
FS: Preston Zachman / Charlie Jarvis
Others: Raphael Dunn, Grant Dean, Luke Emmerich, Remington Moss, Jaimier Scott.
Preston Zachman’s return provides Wisconsin with a reliable, experienced presence on the back end. He started all 12 games last season, finishing third on the team with 58 total tackles, four pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. Matt Traynor, a transfer from Richmond and a former CAA conference freshman of the year, could step in alongside him. Traynor brings a physical, hard-hitting presence that this team will need without Hunter Wohler.
Then there's Matt Jung. Jung’s journey from Division III Bethel to Wisconsin has been nothing short of amazing. He won the Cliff Harris Award as the top small-college defensive player after racking up 109 total tackles, with nine interceptions, and returning four for touchdowns.
The Neenah native brings intriguing physical tools, and his transition to the Big Ten will be one of the most compelling storylines to track through spring practice and fall camp. It’s clear why Wisconsin was drawn to Jung—the real question is how quickly his skill set translates at this level.
If Austin Brown returns to safety, he's a no-brainer to be in the two-deep, but that role isn't a given. Should he remain in the slot, I'd expect one of Raphael Dunn or true freshman Grant Dean, Luke Emmerich, Remington Moss, or Jaimier Scott to step up and carve out a role.
When spring practice opens, I’d expect either Charlie Jarvis—who turned heads with the third team last spring when BadgerNotes was on hand—or Owen Arnett, another veteran with experience in Wisconsin’s defense, to open as a preferred backup at safety. Their familiarity with the defensive system should give them an early edge while the young guns get up to speed.
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