Ranking the 3 Strongest Wisconsin Football Position Groups

The Wisconsin football program’s 2023 season is just around the corner.

After a loaded offseason, Wisconsin has some new faces in the fold and a new identity under Luke Fickell. UW has bolstered the depth chart at key positions, making some groups ripe with talent. 

Here’s a look at three of Wisconsin’s strongest position groups heading into the 2023 season.

Wisconsin Football Position Group No. 1: Wide Receiver

It’s been talked about at nauseam, but Wisconsin is absolutely loaded at the wide receiver position. 

UW has the luxury of bringing back its top three receivers from last season, Chimere Dike, Skyler Bell, and Keontez Lewis. Adding in transfers like Bryson Green, CJ Williams, and Will Pauling only adds to the ridiculous talent pool. 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a time in history that the Wisconsin football program has had this much talent at receiver. Looking at the depth chart, UW is about eight or nine deep. That will be an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses. Do you want to put your best corner on Bryson Green? Dike is open. Put your best guy on Dike? Well, you get the idea.

Under the air raid scheme, these pass catchers will become a focal point of the offense. With a talent-rich grouping, it’s plausible that Wisconsin could have a 1,000-yard receiver in 2023.

Wisconsin Football Position Group No. 2: Safety

Speaking of positions with unprecedented depth, how about this group of safeties? 

Wisconsin is bringing back some important players from last season in Kamo’i Latu and Hunter Wohler, who combined for 77 tackles, three interceptions, and two sacks. It’s worth mentioning that Wohler only appeared in six games last year but was still productive during his time on the field. Wisconsin will also have the benefit of bringing back Travian Blaylock, who missed all of 2022 with an injury. These guys alone give UW an edge in the secondary, as all three should see the field under Mike Tressel‘s three safety packages.

UW will also have players like Austin Brown, Preston Zachman, Owen Arnett, and freshman Braedyn Moore filling out the depth chart. You could argue that Wisconsin is about five or six deep at safety, a luxury that can’t be overstated.

The safety group is easily among the strongest position groups for the 2023 season. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Hunter Wohler, who has reportedly been one of the biggest stock risers in fall camp. If this group can live up to expectations, there could be a no-fly zone in Madison.

Wisconsin Football Position Group No. 3: Inside Linebacker

It may not be as flashy as other position groups, but this inside linebacker grouping is still ripe with talent. 

Wisconsin basically has three starters at the position with Maema Njongmeta, Jake Chaney, and Jordan Turner. Njongmeta, who is currently rehabbing from surgery, reportedly should be available in time for the season opener, and looks to be one of Wisconsin’s breakout candidates for the 2023 season.

Jake Chaney will be worth keeping a close eye on. The junior linebacker is coming off a productive year where he played in 12 games and logged 38 tackles, four TFLs, one interception, and one sack. He’ll see some significant playing time this year, and he could end up being one of Wisconsin’s X-factors on defense.

With other players in the mix, including Bryan Sanborn, Tatum Grass, and Tyler Jansey, the inside linebacker corps seems to be one of the best position groups entering the season. If I were you, I’d place my bets on Njongmeta and Chaney having huge statistical seasons.