Badgers NFL Draft Stock Watch: Malachi Coleman, Sebastian Cheeks Turn Heads

Times have been tough for Wisconsin football on and off the field. Sure, the Badgers are looking to bounce back from their worst season since 1990, but they're also coming off their weakest NFL draft class since 1978.

Unsurprisingly, one of the poorest displays of football the Badgers have put on the gridiron resulted in zero NFL draft selections, and more recently, zero of Wisconsin's un-drafted free agents making a final 53-man roster.

But in Week 1 against Notre Dame, several Badgers flashed intriguing skillsets that could endear them to scouts at the next level.

Badgers On SI takes a look at several players who saw their draft stock spike after Week 1:

WR Malachi Coleman

University of Wisconsin wide receiver Malachi Coleman. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

This is the obvious one. Some of Coleman's route-running highlights went viral after he torched multiple Notre Dame defensive backs en route to a four-catch, 76-yard day that included a gorgeous 28-yard touchdown on a double move.

Coleman's production might not jump off the page at you, but when you watch his highlights, they should. The wiggle and fluidity he displays at 6-5 is extremely enticing for NFL talent evaluators. Coleman spoke this week about how Wisconsin wide receivers coach Ari Confesor has made him a much better route-runner, helping him get in and out of breaks more cleanly and stop him from "playing too high" — in other words, to help the 6-5 Coleman run routes like he's 6 feet tall. If he's truly put all of his physical talent together this fall, the wideout could be a problem for the Big Ten.

OLB Sebastian Cheeks

Wisconsin linebacker Sebastian Cheeks. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As the leading returner at outside linebacker, Cheeks was always going to be a crucial player for this defense. But this offseason, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel publicly challenged Cheeks to take the same kind of leap Darryl Peterson did ahead of his fifth-year senior season.

Could Cheeks elevate his game to another level and keep the Badgers' edge-rushers productive? That was one of the biggest question marks heading into this fall. Cheeks answered it on the first defensive series, when he strip-sacked Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, easily bending around former five-star offensive tackle recruit Will Black.

Though he only logged the one strip-sack, Cheeks cranked up the heat on multiple ocassions and was a problem for both of Notre Dame's tackles. If he brings that same pass-rush juice each and every week, he'll certainly get his shot to play on Sundays.

OG Colin Cubberly

Wisconsin offensive lineman Colin Cubberly. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Cubberly looked like the Badgers' best offensive lineman Sunday night. Given the high praise Eric Mateos had for him this offseason, and his extensive experience after having gotten tossed into the fire last fall, Cubberly was expected to play well this season. But he appeared to have truly turned a corner; he looked like he has the ability to move people against their will.

At 6-6, 325 pounds, Cubberly has an NFL guard's frame and again, his physicality appears to be on another level this year. The "dirtbag," as Mateos calls him, looks poised for a mightily impressive 2026 season.

P Sean West

Wisconsin Badgers punter Sean West. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

West was the Badgers' punter last season, and he was largely very solid, averaging 47.7 yards per punt and posting 14 punts of 50-plus yards. He also converted two fake punts, one through the air against Washington and one with his legs against Ohio State.

Against Notre Dame, however, he hit quite possibly the greatest punt of his life, a 70-yarder that hit at the Irish seven yard-line and impossibly rolled out of bounds directly in front of the front pylon of the end zone.

West isn't going to hit the Picasso of all punts every game, of course, but if he continues to play well he's got an argument as one of the best punters in the nation.

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