Badgers' OC Addresses WR Concerns: 'Somebody needs to emerge'

Jeff Grimes discussed the Badgers' need for a deep threat to emerge.

Wisconsin freshman wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. | Jake Kocorowski

There's a lot to be excited about at just about every position on Wisconsin football this season, almost all of which appear upgraded from the dismal 2025 campaign.

A position group that still looks highly questionable, however? Wide receivers.

Wisconsin added five new wideouts via the transfer portal, almost completely remaking a position group that must replace easily its most productive player in Vinny Anthony.

However, of those five wide receiver additions, only one (Oklahoma State transfer Shamar Rigby, who reeled in 25 catches for 351 yards and one score last season) is moderately proven at the Power Four level.

As a result, the Badgers wide receiver room for 2026, which is also under new leadership with new position coach Ari Confessor, is a massive question mark.

There's no doubt that this room consists of talented players with exciting traits. There's some definite size and speed on the perimeter, certainly more so than last fall.

“I think the biggest thing there is depth," offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said at local media day. "We’ve got more guys with height and length and size than we had last year for sure."

But again, depth, size and length don't translate to production. Grimes, who typically isn't one to blow smoke, acknowledged this to reporters on the eve of fall camp:

"Somebody needs to emerge as that deep threat for us. There’s two or three guys that might do that, but we’ve gotta see throughout the course of fall camp who really proves to be that primary vertical threat.”

Wisconsin needs a primary X receiver to emerge, period. But Grimes is correct, of course; the Badgers need a deep threat who can take the top off defenses in a similar capacity to what Anthony provided last fall.

Who could emerge as that player? Grimes was predictably coy about name-dropping anyone specifically:

“I would say any of our outside guys, I don’t wanna name anyone yet," the play-caller said.

Who could emerge as the Badgers' top deep threat?

Wisconsin WR Chris Brooks Jr. | Christian Borman.

Speed is probably the biggest thing you look for when trying to evaluate who could be a deep threat on this roster. That suggests a player like Malachi Coleman or Shamar Rigby could have an inside track as emerging as a vertical threat for Wisconsin. But is a long-time Badger in Chris Brooks Jr. finally ready to emerge as a consistent downfield threat? Grimes seems to think so.

“He made more of a variety of types of plays in the spring. Last year, he was a really outstanding blocker for us and I guess what you could call a possession receiver; he caught the ball underneath a lot with his numbers facing the quarterback, but not a lot of plays down the field or crossing the field. He made a lot of plays in that intermediate or deep field area this spring." the coordinator said.

"I actually asked him that question one day, I said ‘Dude, you’re playing so much better, what’s the difference?’ He said, ‘I just think I realize it’s my time. I have to now.’”

Brooks is certainly a front-runner, and he'll get plenty of reps due to his blocking chops, maturity and leadership. But Grimes is right — the Badgers desperately need players to emerge in this room.