Badgers Coach Names the Cornerback Who's Improved the Most This Offseason

New cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples had high praise for an incoming transfer at fall camp.

Wisconsin CB Cai Bates lines up against wideout Malachi Coleman. | Christian Borman.

Cornerback has been one of the big talking points during fall camp, as Oklahoma State transfer Eric Fletcher and second-year corner Jai'mier Scott have been neck-and-neck in their competition for snaps at field corner.

Fletcher nursed an injury in the spring, but has showed out in fall camp and quite honestly looked better than his tape in Stillwater last season. Nonetheless, cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples sees a different player in his room who's displayed immense growth over the course of the offseason.

“When you think spring ball to fall camp, I think the biggest jump is probably Cai Bates," he said. "He’s playing to his size, he’s playing big corner football. I really liked seeing that from him.”

Bates has caught my eye in fall camp as well. First of all, he's hard to miss — the 6-3 long, lanky cornerback is built like he was constructed in a lab.

But past his ideal frame, Bates' play has been noteworthy. He's looked pretty sticky in coverage, and I agree with Steeples in that I've seen him use his height and long arms to deny jump balls and 50/50 ball situations on multiple occasions. He's also been a very eager and physical tackler in the run game, and again with his size, he's not exactly easy to block on the perimeter.

With his talent, frame and pedigree (Bates was a consensus top-125 player in the nation coming out of high school), the third-year Florida State transfer oozes potential.

What Bates' emergence means for the Badgers' secondary

Wisconsin cornerback Cai Bates. | Christian Borman.

Much of the conversation out of fall camp in regards to the Badgers' cornerback room has focused on the aforementioned competition between Scott and Fletcher, and rightfully so.

But Steeples tried to quiet some of that chatter speaking to reporters after practice No. 10 of fall camp.

“It’s not as much a battle, like, that whole top core of our room is gonna play. It’s not as much about me beating this guy out, it’s about me being ready for my moment and getting information I can while they’re having theirs," he said. "A lot of guys in this group are earning the right to play.”

While Steeples has a point in that both Scott and Fletcher will play, it's absolutely still a battle for snaps. But the second part of the coach's response is telling too. Field cornerback, where Scott and Fletcher are competing, isn't the only place Steeples plans to rotate corners. Translation: expect Bates to get his shot this fall as well.

Wisconsin looks significantly deeper at cornerback, and Steeples highlighting Bates as the player who's grown the most this offseason bodes very well for this room overall. Now, we can fully expect four players to get snaps on the outside, and there shouldn't be much of a drop-off in ability when Steeples goes deeper into his room.