An Organic Network of Badgers Linebackers in the NFL Grows
In the past week plus, AllBadgers.com has published a couple of articles regarding Wisconsin linebackers and the recent success of sending players from both the outside and inside positions to the NFL. The first was how UW prepared them for the next level, while the second discussed the program's 3-4 defense. Now, we look at the networking within these specific alums, and how they have helped each other with the draft process and more.
After the conclusion of the season, Joe Schobert remembers reaching out to both Chris Orr and Zack Baun. The two Wisconsin linebackers finished their time at the college level in leading a top-10 defense and accumulating honors.
The next stop on their football journey was preparing for the NFL, like quite a few others before them in the past four years.
Since 2016, eight Badgers linebackers have been drafted. The latest was Baun, who was scooped up by the New Orleans Saints in the third round on April 24.
Along with the success at the college level, these Badgers have organically created a network where they can talk about the draft process to each other, whether as a predecessor imparting wisdom to their former teammates or those looking for advice into the unknown.
For Vince Biegel, he has been on both ends. He recalled reaching out to Schobert, his teammate from the class of 2012 who left one year earlier than Vince due to not redshirting, during his rookie year. The third-year pro has also welcomed discussions from those who came after him.
“Leon Jacobs, when he was going through the process reached out to me quite a few times. We actually have the same agent," Biegel said on April 21. "I know, Jack Cichy, he did as well.
"Zack Baun and I have been actually talking a little bit on Xbox with all the extra time we have on our hands. ... I've been able to talk to Zack a little bit, and it's just nice to have those types of conversations with guys."
Cichy eventually found a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. As he went through his preparation, he leaned on Schobert and current Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt, the latter previously being his former teammate for road games.
Last year as T.J. Edwards and Ryan Connelly went through their respective paths to the professional game, Cichy heard from them a bit as well.
The former walk-on explained something that is "inexplicable" with his former teammates, a bond that allows them to pick up right where they left off after lack of contact for a while.
"At school, we saw everyone at their highest highs and their lowest lows," Cichy said on April 21. "I saw Chris after his ACL (injury in 2016), Chris saw me after two of my injuries. We've been through a lot together, kind of spread out throughout the years. So seeing these guys go through the process and everything, it makes me so happy, but also no matter what those guys ever need, it's like, 'I got you, no matter what.' Whether or not they've wanted input or not over this process, or if I see him after a game this coming season or during a game."
Along with some of the linebackers like T.J Edwards -- who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019 after signing as an undrafted free agent (UDFA)-- Jacobs and Connelly, Orr also noted those outside of the position group he had spoken to. That includes former teammate Natrell Jamerson, a former fifth-round draft pick who now plays with the Carolina Panthers.
"I saw (Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver) Alex Erickson when we were up in Wisconsin," Orr said on April 17, over a week before he eventually signed with the Panthers as a UDFA. "(Las Vegas Raiders fullback) Alec Ingold. Talked to'Gink' (Miami Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel) a lot, and then Ryan (Connelly) a little bit too. Pretty much everybody."
Looking broader across all the Badgers who play in the NFL, Biegel believe Wisconsin players "always stick together." He called out an alum whom he never played with at UW, current New York Giants guard Kevin Zeitler, as someone who would come up to him after games and the two would exchange pleasantries.
Biegel has also played Schobert in each of his first three years in the league as a member of the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins.
“Joe’s like one of my best friends still to this day so it's great to have that Badger network where we have each other's backs," Biegel said. "If I have any questions, I know I can reach out to Joe or whoever in the league and vice versa. I hope the guys feel comfortable where they can reach out to me.
"I think that's another reason why Wisconsin is so special because you got just these good quality guys who can translate well in the NFL, but who are also down-to-earth dudes who look out for one another and are guys that you want in a locker room.”
Biegel on Baun: "He's a leader"
Baun became a consensus first-team All-American presence during a 2019 season that ended with 19.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. A question about how he achieved such a substantial production increase as a redshirt senior was even asked during his conference call with the media last week after becoming a Day 2 selection by the Saints.
The maturation and development of Baun blossomed into full view last year. Biegel praised his former teammate for his evolution, but he also mentioned how the Brown Deer, Wis., native was initially "kind of a tough cookie to crack" when both were in Wisconsin's outside linebacker room.
Biegel recalled how he believed Baun struggled early on when he first got to UW, though the Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., native himself believes he had difficulty adjusting during the first couple of years with defensive schemes and adapting to college.
According to Biegel, the position group even had to run sprints, or gassers, because of Baun. After returning to UW during the offseason last year, he saw the change firsthand.
“He's a leader," Biegel said of Baun. "I went back last summer and I trained with the guys. … June, July, I went back and started training back at Wisconsin with (strength and conditioning coach) Ross (Kolodziej) in the weight room, and I was just so shocked by how much of a professional Zack was from how he attacked the weight room to how he attacked his field work to him being a leader in the outside linebacker room.
"I was really proud of the player and the guy Zack is so I think any team’s going to be lucky to have him for Sundays.”
