Billy Edwards Jr. says Wisconsin Badgers WR is reaching elite speeds on GPS player tracking

One of the newest Wisconsin Badgers wide receivers is clocking GPS speeds on par with some of the NFL's fastest players during practice. Billy Edwards Jr. will have deep threats to throw to this season.

Wisconsin wide receiver Jayden Ballard (4) is shown during spring football practice Wednesday, April 23, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers added some elite speed at wide receiver this offseason. They have the GPS tracking data to prove it.

Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is honing in his deep ball with Jayden Ballard, and he's been thoroughly impressed by the Ohio State transfer's speed.

At the team's local media day on Monday, Edwards Jr. said Ballard has been clocked around 23 miles per hour on the team's player tracking software.

"[He's] getting better at literally every aspect of his game, whether its the vertical deep balls or the willfullness to go block and throw your shoulder in there and get dirty," Edwards Jr. said. "Really, just his growth from Day 1. We've asked him to come out of his shell a little bit when it comes to all of that stuff, and he's done nothing but embraced it."

Some Jayden Ballard highlights for your TL 👀#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/Q7mhsUJvsj

— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) December 18, 2024

For comparison, the fastest runs from NFL wide receivers like Tyreek Hill and D.K. Metcalf during regular season games have measured in around 22 miles per hour.

That's not to say that Ballard is faster than those players. Practice is a different setting than a live game situation.

But new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes sees Ballard adding a much-needed element to the offense this season.

"Jayden has the ability to be that deep threat that you feel like the defense has to respect at all times down the field," Grimes said. "I've been on some offense where we didn't have anybody that could really do that and threaten a defense deep, and it changes how they play."

Ballard still has to prove he can do it consistently on game days. He had only 11 catches in his four seasons at Ohio State.

The early signs are encouraging for what he'll can do in this Wisconsin offense with more opportunities to shine.

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