Wisconsin Football 2024 Spring Practice Preview: Defensive Line

Wisconsin Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell and his staff are preparing for their second round of spring practices with the program. 

The Badgers are set to begin spring ball on March 22 and run until May 2. Several of those practices are expected to be open to the media.  

Here’s a look at Wisconsin’s defensive line room, along with a player to watch, a newcomer that excites me, and the biggest question mark. 

Wisconsin Football Team’s Projected DL Depth Chart 

Dec 27, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Wisconsin Badgers nose tackle Curt Neal (92) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin Football Team’s Projected DL Depth Chart 

Starters: James Thompson Jr., Elijah Hills, Curt Neal 

Backups: Ben Barten, TJ Bollers, Jamel Howard

Others: Cade McDonald, Mike Jarvis, Ernest Willor

Following Keeanu Benton’s departure to the NFL, Wisconsin football didn’t get a ton of production from its defensive line in 2023. As a whole, the unit produced just 59 pressures and four sacks.

James Thompson Jr. emerged as the most productive player with 29 tackles, 18 pressures, 5.5 TFLs, three sacks, and two pass deflections, but the rest of the defensive line struggled to make a significant impact.

Now, with Rodas Johnson departing for Texas A&M via the transfer portal, along with multiple other defensive linemen from last season’s roster, the Badgers find themselves relying heavily on Thompson to lead the room. However, his production waned as the season progressed, highlighting the need for more consistency and depth.

Among the returning players, I expect Curt Neal, who had 20 or more snaps in seven of the last eight games, to step into the starting role at nose tackle that Gio Paez held despite his modest contributions.

Albany transfer Elijah Hills is an experienced defensive end with just one year of eligibility remaining. In 2023, he tallied 31 tackles, 15 pressures, 9.0 TFLs, and 1.5 sacks. So, it’s safe to assume he’ll either start or play a healthy number of snaps this fall.

Ben Barten is another candidate to step into a much bigger role. Per PFF, he had 12 tackles, 8.0 pressures, and a sack in 282 snaps.

Keep an eye on junior TJ Bollers, who transitioned from outside linebacker to the defensive line late last season and added 18 pounds to his frame working alongside Brady Collins. With his size and athleticism, Bollers has the potential to push for snaps on an unproven defensive line.

The Badgers also look to younger talents like Ernest Willor, a freshman enrolling early, and Jamel Howard from the 2023 recruiting class to provide depth and potentially contribute early on. As new defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow takes the helm, the pressure is on to develop these young talents and revitalize the Wisconsin football defensive front.

Badgers Player to Watch 

The player I’m most interested in watching/following during spring practice is transfer Elijah Hills. 

Wisconsin lost plenty of bodies this offseason and outside of the incoming freshman, he’s the only addition the Badgers made in the portal. He’s someone they’ll need to step in and produce from day one. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Hills graded out as an above-average defensive lineman in all three seasons he’s played, earning a 69.8 on their grading metric this past season. For reference, that would have been the highest among the Wisconsin football defensive linemen in 2023.

Nobody expects Hills to be a game-wrecker, but having an experienced option to lean on that can help in the run game would be a nice addition. 

Wisconsin Football Newcomer That Excites Me

It’s not exactly a hot take to pick four-star defensive lineman Ernest Willor Jr. here, but a source close to the situation assured me that he’s been even better than advertised thus far and that they’re excited about him. 

It’s never wise to put a ton of expectation on true freshmen at any position. Still, Willor is so damn talented that it’s hard not to envision him earning some situational snaps for the Badgers right away. 

Wisconsin football has a long way to go in order to rebuild this room, but hitting on a couple of these young prospects is going to be a must, and Willor, from a talent standpoint, would seem to be the best bet. 

Defensive Line Room’s Biggest Question Mark 

The Wisconsin football team’s biggest question mark on the defensive line is whether this group can establish rotational depth and become net-neutral. 

This unit wasn’t a strength last season. Losing guys like Rodas Johnson and Gio Paez doesn’t help a group that struggled at times against the run, at least by Wisconsin standards. The Badgers allowed 3.8 yards per carry (38th) and finished 37th in rushing yards per game (135.5). 

I think this group has some upside, but everyone wants more defensive line depth in the transfer portal, and they also come at a sky-high price tag, so it’s unlikely any more external reinforcements will arrive. That means the in-house options will need to rise to the occasion and take advantage of the snaps up for grabs.

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