Wisconsin freshmen enrollees: player breakdowns and expectations for 2022
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The Wisconsin football welcomes the bulk of its 2022 signing class this weekend. While six players opted to enroll early and participate in spring practice, over 20 players from the signing class will move in this weekend and begin working out with the team on Sunday, the team's official start date.
With such a large influx of talent coming to Madison, we take a position-by-position look at the new group of freshmen who will be on the team and expectations for each player heading into the fall.
Quarterbacks (2)
Scholarship signees: Myles Burkett
Walk-ons: Marshall Howe
Wisconsin will have two freshmen quarterbacks on the roster in 2022. Myles Burkett of Franklin (Wis.) took part in spring practice as an early enrollee and showed flashes of why he quickly emerged as the Badgers' lone scholarship quarterback in the class. Burkett helped lead his high school team to a state championship last fall, and he will probably open fall camp as the No. 4 quarterback.
Walk-on quarterback Marshall Howe turned down scholarship opportunities to walk on with the Badgers, and he will come to campus to compete for playing time down the road too. Howe will be primarily a scout team arm early in his career, but he and Burkett add needed depth to the quarterback position in 2022.
Running back (1)
Scholarship signees: None
Walk-ons: Zach Gloudeman
Somewhat surprisingly, Wisconsin went without a true scholarship running back in the 2022 cycle. Pennsylvania athlete Cade Yacamelli could wind up at the position, but the staff may still plan to determine his future spot over the summer and in fall camp. Because of that, I will cover him last within the athlete category.
That leaves Spring Green (Wis.) walk-on Zach Gloudeman as the only signee listed as a running back on Wisconsin promotional materials. A two-way athlete, it isn't a slam dunk that Gloudeman sticks at running back either. As things stand, he is denoted as a running back by the Badgers, so the assumption is he will play running back or fullback to start with. Gloudeman will likely not see the field much in 2022, but he could be a name to watch later in his career, especially if he can help the team out at fullback.
Wide receiver (5)
Scholarship signees: Vinny Anthony, Tommy McIntosh, Chris Brooks Jr.
Walk-ons: Cam Fane, Cole Toennies
The Badgers prioritized the wide receiver position in the 2022 cycle, adding five players to the position group.
In terms of scholarship wide receivers, Vinny Anthony out of Kentucky, Tommy McIntosh of Michigan, and Chris Brooks Jr. from Saint Louis, all bring something a bit different. Anthony is a smaller, quicker, athlete that put together a big senior year for Male High School. McIntosh, on the other hand, is 6-foot-5 and is a bigger receiving target that some schools wanted as a tight end. Chris Brooks splits the difference at 6-foot-3, and he is a high academic player with good speed and great bloodlines.
Of the three, I think McIntosh is the most polished receiver and the likeliest to earn playing time right away. Given the depth that Wisconsin has at the position, I still think all three will probably redshirt, but it will be interesting to see how the Badgers use McIntosh in the fall, given his rare blend of size and speed for the position.
Cam Fane and Cole Toennies are a pair of local walk-ons that will begin their careers at wide receiver as well. Fane is a really good athlete, so he could be someone to keep an eye on after a few years in the program. In the end, I think both players will be redshirt candidates in year one.
Tight end (2)
Scholarship signees: JT Seagreaves
Walk-ons: Travis Alvin
After a spring filled with injuries at the tight end position, the Badgers add two freshmen tight ends this summer from inside the state.
JT Seagreaves is a multi-sport star that Wisconsin fell in love with after a strong camp performance last summer, and he is a prototypical three-down option for the Badgers. Seagreaves has solid hands from his time as a basketball player, and he moves well for a player his size based on his track background. He lined up at wide receiver and running back for his high school team, so there might be an adjustment period for him, but fortunately, he will probably not have to play right away.
Travis Alvin of Randolph was also a standout basketball player, and will look to become the latest walk-on success story at the position. He brings good size to the position at 6-foot-5 and will likely be a developmental prospect for the Badgers.
Whitefish Bay (Wis.) offensive lineman Joe Brunner was the highest-rated player in the 2022 recruiting class for the Badgers.
Curt Hogg / Now News Group via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Offensive line (4)
Scholarship signees: Joe Brunner, Barrett Nelson
Walk-ons: Drew Evans, John Clifford
The crown jewel of the 2022 recruiting class was four-star offensive tackle Joe Brunner, out of Whitefish Bay (Wis.). He and fellow offensive lineman Barrett Nelson represent a strong in-state pull for the Badgers, and both players could prove to be big-time contributors in a few years. Each has the athletic ability and size to play anywhere along the offensive line, so it will be fascinating to see where they line up this fall under Bob Bostad. Brunner is the type of highly-rated prospect that could become a starter early in his career, especially if his transition to the college level goes smoothly.
Walk-ons Drew Evans and John Clifford will also join Bostad in the offensive line room and will look to develop under his tutelage. All four players will likely redshirt this season, as it is incredibly hard to push for playing time as a true freshman on the offensive line.
True freshman Curt Neal (No. 92) participated in the spring and is a potential contributor in 2022.
Matt Belz, All Badgers
Defensive line (3)
Scholarship signees: Curt Neal, Tristan Monday
Walk-ons: Gabe Kirschke
Nose tackle Curtis Neal is already on campus for the Badgers after enrolling early. While he did not see any live team action in the spring as he rehabbed an ACL injury, he is back to 100% this summer. Of the three defensive linemen added in the 2022 class, Neal probably has the best odds of earning playing time. The fact that Neal participated in the spring and projects to play nose tackle gives him a chance to see the field next season. He will battle Gio Paez and Ben Barten for the No. 2 job behind Keeanu Benton.
Tristan Monday out of Scottsdale (Ariz.) is another exciting addition to the roster. A three-star prospect according to Rivals and 247 Sports, Monday flipped his commitment from Arizona in favor of Wisconsin, and he has an unrelenting motor as a defensive end. I think the depth at defensive end makes immediate playing time tough to see for Monday right away, but he could be a contributor after a year or two in the program.
Walk-on Gabe Kirschke is the son of a former NFL defensive lineman and brings plenty of potential to the room. He chose Wisconsin over scholarship opportunities elsewhere, so he is another name to know in the coming years. Kirschke will begin his career as a defensive end.
Inside linebacker (2)
Scholarship signees: Aidan Vaughan
Walk-ons: Luna Larson
With a ton of depth at the inside linebacker position, the Wisconsin Badgers were very selective in the 2022 class. In the end, the Badgers signed two players: Michigan native Aidan Vaughan on scholarship and Baraboo (Wis.) athlete Luna Larson as a walk-on.
Neither player is likely to see the field extensively next season, but both are very talented athletes that could become starters down the road.
Vaughan was a mid-year enrollee and participated in his first spring with the Badgers this year. Fast and rangy, he primarily worked with the third or fourth team group, but he has all the intangibles to be a really good inside linebacker for Wisconsin. His athletic profile makes him an intriguing special teamer in year one, but I think Vaughan will ultimately redshirt next season. He is still learning the position, and having an extra year of eligibility to use later in his career is more valuable than sporadic special teams time as a freshman, in my opinion.
Larson is not your traditional walk-on. A high school quarterback and linebacker, Larson was a first-team All-State pick at linebacker and had several scholarships from the Group of Five level. He is the type of walk-on that has flourished in Wisconsin's system, and it would not be a surprise to see him earn playing time at some point in Madison.
Outside linebacker (1)
Scholarship signees: Isaac Hamm
Walk-ons: None
Wisconsin is absolutely loaded at outside linebacker under Bobby April. The majority of the position group are former four-star prospects out of high school, and Sun Prairie (Wis.) defender Isaac Hamm could keep that trend going in 2022.
A tremendously athletic pass-rusher, Hamm was one of the top commits in the class, and he is supposed to begin his career as an outside linebacker, according to Wisconsin's signing day press release.
While he is one of the best players committed in the class, he is the only signee not listed in the University of Wisconsin directory as of Thursday morning. Not certain how reliable the directory is considering the players are stepping foot on campus in the next couple of days, but his status in the class is something to monitor.
Cornerback (2)
Scholarship signees: A'Khoury Lyde, Avyonne Jones
Walk-ons: None
Wisconsin added two cornerbacks in the 2022 cycle, and both players are already on campus for the Badgers after enrolling early for spring practice.
A'Khoury Lyde did not participate as he rehabs from a knee injury, but Avyonne Jones saw a ton of snaps with the second team defense as a cornerback and safety.
Lyde will almost assuredly redshirt after missing most of his senior season with an ACL tear, but he has excellent ball skills for a cornerback. Once healthy, Lyde is a player that could be a standout cover corner in the Big Ten.
On the flip side, Jones could use his position versatility to earn playing time at cornerback or safety this fall, though I think in a perfect world, he would also redshirt. He is a gifted player that the staff is very high on, so special teams are not out of the question for him as a true freshman. With a large number of senior cornerbacks scheduled to exhaust their eligibility after this season, Jones could push for a bigger role in 2023. The staff may want him to see the field next season in preparation.
Safety (4)
Scholarship signees: Austin Brown
Walk-ons: Jackson Trudgeon, Charlie Jarvis, Deven Magli
The safety room was incredibly thin this spring for the Wisconsin Badgers after Travian Blaylock went down with an injury.
As a result, Jim Leonhard and the rest of the staff added four players to the position group, all of which join the team this summer.
Illinois three-star Austin Brown is the lone scholarship player entering the fold, but he is one of the more gifted players in the entire 2022 signing class. A true strong safety, Brown is a vicious hitter and is very fast. With Utah transfer Kamo'i Latu also joining the team this summer, it might not be necessary for Brown to play right away, but he has the talent to do so if needed. Of the scholarship signees that did not enroll early, Brown is probably the most likely candidate to see the field this fall, though it likely hinges on the availability of senior Travian Blaylock.
Wisconsin also added three in-state walk-ons with Jackson Trudgeon, Charlie Jarvis, and Deven Magli. The trio of in-state safeties should provide extra practice players for 2022, but I wouldn't be shocked to see one of them become a starter later in their careers. Magli decommitted from North Dakota in favor of playing for Wisconsin, while Trudgeon and Jarvis are both multi-sport standouts with nice upside too. The Badgers have found a lot of success with walk-on safeties in the past, including John Torchio, who is a projected starter next season, and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Athletes/Special Teams (2)
Scholarship signees: Cade Yacamelli
Walk-ons: Gavin Lahm
There might not be a more entertaining summer enrollee than Cade Yacamelli. A high school running back and linebacker, Yacamelli could play any number of positions with the Badgers. In fact, Wisconsin has yet to announce formally where they plan to use him in the fall.
On signing day, UW listed him as an athlete, but the most likely positions for him are running back, wide receiver, or safety.
With the staff loading up with wide receivers and safeties in the class, I think running back makes the most sense for the three-star athlete out of Pennsylvania. Yacamelli ran for over 1,800 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior, and is a quick but physical runner.
With Chez Mellusi, Isaac Guerendo, and Brady Schipper all entering their season campaigns, Yacamelli could be an important third-down back for the Badgers down the road.
Wisconsin also added kicker Gavin Lahm out of Kaukauna (Wis.) as a walk-on. He will probably redshirt in the fall, but he is a valuable addition for the Badgers as they look to continually improve special teams.
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