Wisconsin Football Safety Room Season Outlook & Player Expectations

With fall camp just around the corner for new head coach Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin football program — BadgerNotes continues our rollout of position previews. We’ve already done QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DL, OLB, and ILBs thus far. 

But I want our position previews and season outlook write-ups to be different than a regurgitated version of what every outlet is putting out. 

I want to approach this breakdown by establishing individual player expectations heading into the season so we can more effectively evaluate each player at the end of the season—that way, we can avoid being a prisoner of the moment. 

So, let’s review the breakdown of how we define player expectations:

• No expectations (walk-ons, true freshmen, practice bodies).
• Low expectations (roster fillers, third team players, next man up situation).
• Moderate expectations (key backups & role players *how well are you playing the role asked of you).
• High expectations (core players of the team you expect to make a big impact in their role or statistically). 

Let’s continue our series with the Wisconsin football safeties. 

High Expectations 

• Kamo’i Latu (SR)
• Hunter Wohler (JR)
• Travian Blaylock (RS SR)

I’m placing Kamo’i Latu, Hunter Wohler, and Travian Blaylock in the high-expectations group for the Badgers this season because all three players, when healthy, are starting-caliber players in my eyes.

Latu spent two seasons at Utah before transferring to the Wisconsin football program last year. He appeared in 13 games last season, starting 12, and registered 55 tackles, 6.0 pressures, 3.0 TFLs, and 3.0 pass deflections, with 2.0 sacks and 2.0 interceptions.

The hard-hitting safety finished with a PFF grade of (64.1-above-average) and should be a nice hybrid player that can come up in the box and offer run support.

Conversely, Wohler will be playing the ‘Dollar’ position for new DC Mike Tressel. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety played six games last season, logged 213 total snaps, and registered 21 tackles, 11 stops, one TFL, plus an interception. It’s also worth noting that PFF graded him as the fifth-best tackler on the Wisconsin football team among those who played at least 100 snaps (79.1).

Wohler showed his versatility for the Badgers by playing 20 snaps up on the DL, 76 in the box, 98 at FS, and 17 in the slot. He’s going to play everywhere in 2023 and could be one of the most important players on Wisocnsin’s defense.

Blaylock will be another versatile chess piece Wisconsin can move around next season. He’s one of the best athletes in the secondary and has 22 games of experience. I just pray he can stay healthy, because Blaylock has a lot of physical tools you can’t teach and could become an impact player in his final season.

Everyone in this grouping needs to be above-average to high-quality player by Pro Football Focus standards to meet expectations. Wohler has a chance to be a star if everything breaks right.

Wisconsin Football Safeties With Moderate Expectations

• Austin Brown (SO)

I’m putting sophomore safety Austin Brown in the moderate expectations group.

As a true freshman, Brown appeared in all 13 games last season, predominately on special teams. He recorded a pair of tackles, had two pressures, and saw 51 total defensive snaps — grading out (59.7 – average).

I understand it was a different coaching staff. Still, Brown has the potential to be a dynamic starter starting next season, so getting him meaningful snaps behind the big three will be critically important.

To meet expectations, Brown needs to crack the two-deep, look the part in the snaps he plays, and take a step toward becoming a starter you feel good about entering 2024.

Wisconsin Football Safeties With Low Expectations

• Preston Zachman (RS SO)
• Braedyn Moore (FR)

In this low-expectations group, I will put redshirt sophomore Preston Zachman and incoming freshman Braedyn Moore.

I know that I’m going against what I’ve said in other position groups by listing Moore with this tier — but the new coaching staff lined him up all over during spring practice — including the slot. He’s a big-time talent, and they plan to use him early. A special teams role with a next-man-up situation on the depth chart seems possible for Moore.

Then there’s Zachman, who played 169 snaps last season and looked solid, particularly as a tackler, where he graded out as a (86.4-elite) by PFF. He also totaled 11 tackles and an interception. I question whether or not he has the physical tools that the new staff is looking for in the secondary, but you could do a lot worse than a kid who has seen actual game action and can be a sure-handed tackler.

To meet expectations, this tier needs to make their presence known and look like legit options to end up in the two-deep next year. If their number gets called on due to injury, they must be serviceable replacements.

No Expectations 

• Owen Arnett (RS SO)
• Charlie Jarvis (RS FR)
• Jackson Trudgeon (RS FR)
• Bryce Carey (RS JR)
• Deven Magli (RS FR)

Finally, I’ve got walk-ons Owen Arnett, Charlie Jarvis, Jackson Trudgeon, Bryce Carey, and Deven Magli in the no-expectations group.

From this group, Arnett is the player most likely to find his way into third-team reps and a special teams role. Everyone else is unlikely to factor into the safety room equation for Wisconsin football this fall.

To meet expectations, this group needs to focus on the weight room, learning the playbook, and continued development.

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