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Wisconsin Badgers Impress During Draft Despite Notable Slide

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Wisconsin Football
Mandatory Credit: Aaron Frey-AMF Photos. Follow @amfphotos2020 on Instagram to see more.

Madison, Wisc. – The Wisconsin Badgers football team had three former players receive draft calls this year, with two players hearing their names called rather early.

Nine Wisconsin players entered their names into the draft, and after the seven rounds ended three of them were selected. The first two Badgers off the board landed in the second round with Joe Tippmann and Keeanu Benton finding their new homes. The third Badger, Nick Herbig, heard his name in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.

 Wisconsin Badgers Football: Three Drafted Players Eager To Make An Impact 

In some original draft rankings, the Wisconsin Badgers seemed to have three players primed to be selected on Day 2. Center Joe Tippmann led the recruiting boards, with many analysts projecting the lineman to go at the top of the second round. Tippmann, a former four-star recruit, spent two seasons as the Badgers starting center. During his time as a Badger, Tippmann played 1456 offensive snaps while only allowing one sack.

The talented center also allowed four quarterback hits and four hurries during that time as well. Tippmann is incredibly light on his feet for someone who weighs 313 pounds, which he has displayed throughout his collegiate career. Tippmann has excellent footwork and fights through his blocks especially against stronger opponents. The exceptional offensive lineman rarely finds players who are stronger than him, which serves as a major reason as to why the New York Jets selected Tippmann with the 43rd overall pick.

Steve Avila, the former TCU Horned Frogs starting lineman, was selected with the 36th overall selection. Avila has played center before, and potentially could play the position for the Los Angeles Chargers. However, Tippmann was the first listed center to be selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Both the New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and General Manager Joe Douglas praised the Wisconsin Badger as a future “…10 year NFL starter…” given his talent.

Pittsburgh Steelers Select Two Wisconsin Football Alumni

The Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the most successful draft classes this year as the staff filled many of the team’s needs. The Steelers traded up in the draft with the New England Patriots to select Georgia tackle Broderick Jones with the 14th overall pick. Later, with the first of two second-round draft picks the Steelers selected Penn State corner back Joey Porter Jr. before adding to their stout run defense. With the 49th overall selection, the Steelers added Wisconsin Badgers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton.

Benton, a former three-star recruit, started all four years of his collegiate career with the Wisconsin Badgers. In 45 games, Benton recorded 80 total tackles and nine sacks, along with 19 tackles for loss. Benton put together his best season as a Badger this past year, recording six sacks, 11 pressures, and 11 hurries. The talented defensive tackle has an incredible ability to stay on his feet and work past blockers. Benton also has the strength and power to throw blockers out of his way when rushing towards the backfield.

Steelers ‘Steal’ Linebacker Nick Herbig During Fourth-Round

As excited as the Pittsburgh Steelers were to have one Wisconsin Badger in Benton, they were more excited to land two Badgers. With the 132nd overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Nick Herbig. Herbig had been projected as a potential second-round selection, but eventually slid into the end of the fourth-round. Herbig, the former four-star recruit from Hawaii, started all three seasons he played for the Wisconsin Badgers.

During his time as a Badger, Herbig recorded 137 total tackles, 36 tackles for loss, and 21 sacks. Herbig also recorded four forced fumbles, two recoveries and seven pass defenses in three seasons. The linebacker is a physical, dominant force on defense and often finds his way to the quarterback. Herbig may have benefited from another season in Madison, however he will surely add to an already strong Pittsburgh defense.

The Wisconsin Badgers football team had a successful showing in the 2023 NFL Draft as the former Badgers look to make their mark at the next level.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jarrett Guerrera on Twitter @JarrettGuerrera.

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Wisconsin Football: Handing Out Helmet Stickers From the Purdue Victory

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Wisconsin Football quarterback Tanner Mordecai
Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) dives into the pylon for a touchdown during the NCAA football game against the Purdue Boilermakers, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

A win is a win! In this case, it’s the 17th straight victory for the Wisconsin football team over the Purdue Boilermakers. This victory gave the Badgers a nice start to conference play, putting them at 1-0 in the Big Ten and 3-1 overall.

It still wasn’t a perfect game, but this team is starting to look more like the team we were all hoping for this offseason.

Players on both sides of the ball shined tonight.

So let’s hand out some helmet stickers for the Wisconsin football players who shined under the Friday night lights.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 1:

Ricardo Hallman

Ricardo Hallman is quietly becoming a lockdown corner for the Wisconsin football team. Before the game, Hallman had yet to allow a touchdown reception. After the game, that statement still stands true. I’m sure he will continue to lead the country in coverage snaps without giving up a score.

On top of being a shutdown corner, he is turning into a legitimate playmaker. He logged two interceptions in the Badgers’ Friday night victory over Purdue, bringing his season total to three.

He finished the night with three tackles and two interceptions. The sophomore cornerback is having a great start to the year. We’ll see how well he continues to play once the level of competition ramps up. Hopefully, he continues to play like he is because this Wisconsin defense is going to need him to.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 2:

Braelon Allen

Banged up? If he was, Allen didn’t show it. As usual, Wisconsin’s top back had another great game last night. He ran the ball just 16 times for 116 yards, a 7.4 yards per carry average. He also added a pair of touchdowns. A good chunk of his yardage came on a 52-yard scamper, where he blew up a defender like he was nothing and almost took it to the house.

Unfortunately, Allen had to take the bulk of the carries towards the end of the game when Chez Mellusi went down with an ankle injury. Without a whole lot of experienced depth behind Allen, he is going to be expected to carry the rushing attack for the Wisconsin football team.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 3:

Tanner Mordecai

There’s the quarterback we were all hoping to see. He didn’t put up huge numbers through the air or even throw a touchdown pass. But he did provide the offense with some production on the ground. His ability to scramble and make plays with his legs made a difference early in the game.

At one point, Mordecai was Wisconsin’s leading passer, rusher, and receiver. When’s the last time you’ve ever seen that?

Mordecai finished the game with 174 yards passing and a pick. But he added on 44 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Mordecai is slowly but surely turning into the playmaking quarterback Wisconsin fans have wanted in Madison for a long time.

Wisconsin Football vs. Purdue Helmet Sticker No. 4:

Darian Varner

Varner had a very heads-up play that helped nail the coffin shut in the game.

Kaden Johnson came off the edge, hitting Purdue quarterback Hudson Card as he was throwing. The refs let it play out. Purdue recovered it but held it, thinking it was a dead ball. Alertly, Varner went over, punched the ball out of his hands, and landed on it.

Three plays later, the Badgers punched it in for six, extending the lead to 38-17. We’ve all been waiting for Varner to make his presence known on this Wisconsin defense. Now we finally have. Hopefully, this is just the start for Varner this season and we see some more of this.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers basketball news, notes, opinions, and analysis. You can also follow Christian Borman on Twitter @christianborman.

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Wisconsin Football Fans React: Badgers Defeat Purdue Boilermakers

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Wisconsin Badgers football

Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin football team has officially opened their Big Ten football season after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday.

The Badgers entered halftime up 21-3 courtesy of two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Tanner Mordecai. Wisconsin never looked back and held onto their lead for the remainder of the game. Once again, the Wisconsin ground game proved to be too much for their opponent as the Badgers recorded four touchdowns and 195 yards rushing. Wisconsin also recorded three turnovers on the defensive side of the ball as Ricardo Hallman dominated for the Badgers with two interceptions.

While there were plenty of positives in the 38-17 win over the Boilermakers, there is still room for improvement. Fans were quick to fill social media with a variety of responses following the victory.

Wisconsin Badgers Excite Fans In Big Ten Conference Opener Against Purdue 

While the entirety of the game was not exciting, the Badgers had their moments and provided some excellent football for their fans. Including, the exceptional “Philly Special” the Badgers ran at the end of the game, as well as the intriguing rushing touchdowns. Transfer kicker Nathanial Vakos also impressed as he went 3-for-3 with his longest kick at 48-yards.

The Wisconsin Badgers Football Team Ran Wild Once Again

Against the Purdue Boilermakers, the Badgers recorded four touchdowns and 195 yards on the ground. Through the first four games of the season, Wisconsin has rushed for 807 yards and 14 touchdowns, with an average of 5.4 yards per carry. While the offense in general has struggled, the run game is certainly thriving under Head Coach Luke Fickell and Offensive Coordinator Phil Longo.

Some fans enjoyed the success of the Wisconsin football team, but seemed eager for the elusive running back Braelon Allen to touch the football more.

For Some Fans, The Struggles for Wisconsin Proved to be too much, But Many Keep Optimism

Despite the victory for the Wisconsin football team, the Badgers struggled at times to play fundamental football. In particular, the defense struggled at times and allowed more total yards than the Wisconsin offense gained. The Badgers still walked away with the victory but may have done so without fixing their issues at hand.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jarrett Guerrera on Twitter @JarrettGuerrera.

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Wisconsin Football Report Card From 38-17 Win Over Purdue

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Wisconsin Badgers football
Sep 22, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) tackles Purdue Boilermakers running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (3) during the first half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin football program kicked off conference play with a bang, earning a 38-17 victory on the road against Purdue. It wasn’t a pretty or complete game by the Badgers, but UW did enough to come away with a win and head into the bye week at 3-1.

Here are my grades for Wisconsin’s offense, defense, and special teams in the Big Ten opener. 

Wisconsin Football Offense Grade: B

The offense was easily one of the biggest bright spots for Wisconsin in the win over Purdue, but I thought the way UW utilized Tanner Mordecai was one of the main reasons why. 

Mordecai isn’t your prototypical dual-threat quarterback, but he still possesses the ability to get out of the pocket and use his legs well. The sixth-year senior was able to run his way into the endzone twice while rushing for 58 yards. On top of that, Mordecai went 17-for-27 with 174 yards through the air. We’ve finally seen some glimpses of what Mordecai will be, and if he’s able to put the puzzle pieces together during the bye week, the Big Ten should look out. 

Of course, the biggest storyline coming out of this game was Chez Mellusi’s injury. He had to get an air cast put on, and the replay did not look good in the slightest. You just have to feel absolutely gutted for Mellusi, who has had his fair share of injury problems since coming to Madison. Though his time was cut short, the fifth-year senior put on a show alongside Braelon Allen, combining for 155 yards on the ground. Allen would also rush for two touchdowns. This game seemed to be a return to form for Allen after seemingly playing a step slow — and banged up — through the first few weeks of the season. 

Wisconsin also got some nice contributions from CJ Williams and Chimere Dike in the receiving game, but the drops by Skyler Bell and Will Pauling were a bit discouraging. Would like to see those cut down after the bye week. 

There was plenty to be happy about with Wisconsin’s performance, but it wasn’t a spectacular showing from the offense. Going forward, UW will need to cut down on the penalties (looking at you, Jack Nelson) and will need to put together a complete four quarters of offense. 

Wisconsin Football Defense Grade: C+

I’m not crazy about how Wisconsin’s defense performed against Purdue, but there were some bright spots. 

Ricardo Hallman and James Thompson Jr. were undoubtedly the stars on Wisconsin’s defense tonight. Hallman secured two interceptions on the night while also logging three tackles and two passes defended. Meanwhile, Thompson finished the night with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and one pass defended. At two key positions, Wisconsin was able to get some crucial contributions from some key contributors.

It wasn’t all great, though. I’m going to be frank for a second here: I’m getting a little tired of seeing these big chunk plays given up by Wisconsin. It’s been a consistent problem for the past few weeks, and while there may have been some improvement tonight, there were still far too many big plays given up for my liking. 

There are still plenty of kinks to work out in Wisconsin’s defense, but this game seemed like a very small step in the right direction. Hopefully, Mike Tressel can have this group ready as they venture further into conference play. 

Wisconsin Football Special Teams Grade: A-

Wisconsin found themselves a good one in Ohio transfer Nathanial Vakos. The sophomore knocked through all three of his field goal attempts to remain perfect on the season. With his three on Friday night, he’s now 7-of-7 on three-point tries. 

Four games in, I have to say I’m very impressed with what Atticus Bertrams has brought to this team. He’s been a mark of consistency, and he had some damn good punts on Friday night. 

It was also great to see Chimere Dike run a couple of kicks back. The senior receiver had two returns for 34 yards and 39 yards, respectively. He’s shown that he can be a threat, and you’d love to see him break off a return for six at some point this year.

The only thing bringing this grade down was Jack Van Dyke’s kick out of bounds. This has now become a consistent issue for the kickoff specialist, as he’s sent three balls sailing out of bounds through four games. 

The Wisconsin football program is now off to a 3-1 start in the Luke Fickell era. The Badgers will head into the bye week before facing Rutgers on October 7th.


Contact/Follow us @Badger_Notes on Twitter, Subscribe to the BadgerNotes Newsletter here. Also, like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers football news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Jake Maier on Twitter @JakeJMaier.

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