Wisconsin football offensive two-deep projection for spring practice
Here is a look at the Badgers projected two-deep depth chart for the Wisconsin football team, with spring practice just around the corner.
The University of Wisconsin football team's offense is set for a major overhaul in 2025 after two straight disappointing seasons that ultimately cost Phil Longo his job as offensive coordinator.
During the 2024 season, the Badgers ranked near the bottom of the nation in several advanced metrics. Wisconsin finished 106th in EPA per play, 104th in EPA per dropback, 100th in EPA per rush, and 109th in scoring offense at just 22.6 points per game—making a reset inevitable.
Enter Jeff Grimes, whose challenge will be blending some of the modern passing schemes Longo introduced with the hard-nosed, physical identity that defined the Badgers offense for decades.
Grimes arrives in Madison from Kansas, where the Jayhawks offense finished 6th nationally in EPA per rush, 8th in EPA per play, 21st in EPA per dropback, and 13th in yards per play, averaging 29.7 points per game.
"I think identity is a huge thing," Grimes said. "I'd like to say that if people watched us, they would see a tough, physical brand of football that is balanced in a number of different ways.
"If you can run the football, then you can do anything. Everything else is going to work. If you can't run the football, you become one-dimensional. That’s where it starts—running the football and establishing an identity."
These early months will be crucial for evaluating position battles, installing Grimes’ system, and determining which players could emerge as key contributors in Year 3 of the Luke Fickell era.
So, who will step up this offseason? Here’s a projection of Wisconsin’s offensive two-deep heading into spring ball.
Quarterback
QB: Billy Edwards Jr. / Danny O’Neil
Others: Carter Smith, Milos Spasojevic
There’s not much mystery here. Wisconsin football is ushering in three new faces at quarterback this spring, with the only returnee off last year's roster being walk-on Milos Spasojevic. The keys to the offense now belong to Billy Edwards Jr., a transfer from Maryland who the Badgers aggressively pursued in the portal when it opened this offseason.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound signal caller arrives in Madison after a productive 2024 season with the Terps, where Edwards led the Big Ten in total pass attempts (420) and threw for 2,881 yards. Edwards had 15 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions on 6.9 yards per attempt. He also ran for 215 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
The hope is that Edwards' experience in the Big Ten, paired with an improved offensive line, can help the Badgers hit the ground running this spring and help them compete against one of the nation's tougher schedules in 2025.
"I saw a guy that had toughness, that was able to stand in there and take a lot of hits and not impact how he played the game," Grimes said of Edwards. "He threw a lot of balls with people right in his face, and he's letting it go. None of that impacted him, none of the hits. I thought he had arm talent. I thought he had good athletic ability. I like his size.
"It was a combination of all those things at first. As I got to know him, I recognized that he's got all the intangibles you'd be looking for. He's smart, he's competitive, and he's really driven to be great."
Behind Edwards, it would appear that San Diego State transfer Danny O'Neil will be the clear-cut No. 2 option heading into spring, and rightfully so. O’Neil started 11 games as a true freshman for the Aztecs in 2024.
The Indianapolis native completed 63.3% of his passes for 2,181 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also ran for 93 yards on the ground and added another score. O'Neil gives the Badgers some insurance in the quarterback room should the injury bug hit again.
Running back
RB: Darrion Dupree / Cade Yacamelli
Others: Dilin Jones, Jackson Acker, Gideon Ituka
Wisconsin's staff sent a clear-cut message this offseason by not even so much as sniffing around at running backs in the transfer portal.
Darrion Dupree is quickly emerging as a foundational piece of Wisconsin’s offense. As a true freshman, he ranked second among Big Ten freshmen in rushing yards, finishing with 317 yards on 79 carries (4.0 YPC) and a touchdown, while also proving to be a reliable pass-catcher with 12 receptions for 119 yards. His advanced metrics highlight his versatility—he graded in the 96th percentile in gap schemes (5.4 YPC), posted an 88th percentile receiving grade (76.9), and averaged 9.9 yards per reception.
He also registered seven explosive runs (10+ yards) and graded in the 66th percentile nationally in wins above average, a strong mark for a freshman. Beyond his counting stats, Dupree’s well-rounded skill set makes him an asset in all phases of the game. He logged 158 total snaps—79 as a runner and 63 as a receiver—while also being a willing pass protector, where he allowed zero pressures on 10 blocking reps.
His ability to contribute as both a rusher and receiver makes him a true dual-threat back, and after flashing his potential in Year 1, he’s poised for an even bigger role moving forward.
But who will compliment Dupree?
Heading into spring, I’m giving the edge to Cade Yacamelli. He didn’t get a ton of opportunities last season, but when he did, he made them count—turning 33 carries into 274 yards (8.4 YPC) while also catching four passes for 35 yards. Honestly, I thought there was a real chance he’d hit the portal in search of more playing time, but his decision to stay is a win for Wisconsin.
That said, I still think Dilin Jones is the most likely candidate to pair with Dupree once the season rolls around. His upside is undeniable, but he’s going to have to earn that role this spring under position coach Devon Spalding. Jones saw limited action last season with 16 carries, but he made the most of them, forcing eight missed tackles and picking up 88 yards on the ground.
Wide receiver
WR: Vinny Anthony / Jayden Ballard
Slot: Trech Kekahuna / Kyan Berry-Johnson
WR: Mark Hamper / Joseph Griffin Jr.
Others: Quincy Burroughs, Tyrell Henry, Chris Brooks Jr., Eugene Hilton Jr.
The wide receiver room took a hit this offseason, losing its top pass-catcher from the last two years, Will Pauling, who transferred to Notre Dame. I’ve been pretty skeptical of this group over the past couple of seasons, but I do think there’s a chance they’ve taken a step forward.
It helps when you can bring back a guy like Vinny Anthony on the outside, who hauled in 39 catches for a team-high 672 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 17.2 yards per reception in 2024.
It also doesn't hurt when you reel back in a dynamic playmaker like Trech Kekahuna to fill that role in the slot. Kekahuna showed flashes last season, catching 25 passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns as a backup to Pauling.
“Man, I’m ecstatic about that room right now,” Jordan Reid said. “Obviously, you’ve got returners such as Vinny Anthony and Trech Kekahuna—two guys I’m very excited to be able to work with. Both had production last year, and we are expecting big things from them this year.”
Then, to complement the direction this offense wants to go under Grimes, the staff added Mark Hamper and Jayden Ballard from the transfer portal to give them some size and speed that should allow them to push the ball downfield more effectively. I gave the edge to Hamper as the starter on the outside based on his production at Idaho, but hearing that Ballard has hit 22 MPH sprinting during winter workouts has me wondering if this staff might want to pair him opposite Anthony to keep defenses honest.
Depth-wise, Kyan Berry-Johnson is an intriguing piece. Maturity was a question mark for him last year, but there's a clear path to snaps behind Kekahuna. Joseph Griffin Jr., Quincy Burroughs, Tyrell Henry, Chris Brooks Jr., and freshman Eugene Hilton Jr. are also in the mix, with everyone in the room essentially getting a fresh start under Grimes and Coach Reid.
Tight end
TE: Tanner Koziol / Tucker Ashcraft
Others: JT Seagreaves, Jackson McGohan, Grant Stec, Robert Booker, Emmett Bork, and Nizyi Davis.
From a talent standpoint, I’d argue the Badgers’ tight end room has gotten the most meaningful facelift of any position group—and that starts with the addition of Tanner Koziol from the transfer portal.
A native of Bloomingdale, Illinois, Koziol is coming off a breakout junior season at Ball State in which he recorded 94 receptions for 839 yards and eight touchdowns, earning second-team All-MAC honors.
Why is Koziol's addition so important? Because the returning group—Tucker Ashcraft, JT Seagreaves, and Jackson McGohan—combined for just 17 catches and 128 yards last season. Simply put, this Wisconsin tight end room has been a wasteland, badly lacking production for the past two years.
With Koziol’s ability to be a reliable safety valve in the passing game for Wisconsin, he’s expected to be a key piece in Jeff Grimes’ system, which leans heavily on 11 and 12 personnel. With Ashcraft penciled in as the No. 2 tight end, you have to feel a lot better about this group overall—even if Koziol doesn’t come close to replicating his gaudy Ball State production.
There’s plenty of young talent here that still needs time to develop, so the hope is that guys like Seagreaves—and maybe even Stec—can take a step forward for the Badgers and provide some snaps while the younger players continue to get acclimated in Wisconsin's offense.
Offensive line
LT: Kevin Heywood / Barrett Nelson
LG: Joe Brunner / Colin Cubberly
C: Jake Renfro / Kerry Kodanko
RG: JP Benzschawel / Emerson Mandell
RT: Riley Mahlman / Leyton Nelson
Others: Ryan Cory, Derek Jensen, Joey Okla, Michael Roeske, Logan Powell, Nolan Davenport, Hardy Watts, and Cam Clark.
AJ Blazek's offensive line room is in good shape heading into the 2025 season, with a mix of experienced returners and promising young talent ready to push for spots in the Badgers two-deep.
At left tackle, the Badgers will turn to sophomore Kevin Heywood to replace longtime starter Jack Nelson. Heywood, a former blue-chip recruit out of Pennslyvania, saw limited action last season (72 total snaps) but has the physical tools to grow into a foundational piece of the line. Behind him, redshirt junior Barrett Nelson, who has played just 19 career snaps, will compete for backup duties alongside Leyton Nelson, who transferred from Vanderbilt but missed last season with a knee injury.
On the other side of the line, the right tackle job is locked down, with redshirt senior Riley Mahlman returning as a three-year starter. His presence stabilizes the unit, with the same candidates among those vying for the backup spot behind Mahlman, along with a bevy of freshmen.
On the interior, the Badgers bring back two reliable pieces in left guard Joe Brunner and center Jake Renfro. Brunner played the most snaps of any Wisconsin offensive lineman last season (802) and is back for his second year as a full-time starter, though he’ll look to improve his run-blocking. Redshirt freshman Emerson Mandell and Emerson Mandell could also factor into the competition behind him to serve as a primary backup.
At center, Renfro provides stability as a sixth-year senior with 31 career starts between Cincinnati and Wisconsin.
Kerry Kodanko is listed on the roster as returning and served as the team’s backup in 2024. However, redshirt freshman Ryan Cory projects as a potential long-term answer at the position and will push for that role.
Meanwhile, the right guard is up for grabs following Joe Huber’s departure, with redshirt senior JP Benzschawel viewed as the frontrunner in my eyes after serving as the top reserve last season. That said, Cubberly and Mandell could push for playing time, while freshmen Hardy Watts and Logan Powell add intriguing depth behind them.
Overall, Wisconsin’s offensive line should be one of the offense’s strengths, blending veteran leadership with up-and-coming talent. With Mahlman and Heywood bookending the tackles, Renfro anchoring the middle, and experienced options at guard, the Badgers should have a unit capable of holding up against top-level competition in 2025.
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