Wisconsin football: 10 players on offense who stood out in fall camp
Fall camp is a key opportunity for players to showcase their abilities and prove to the coaching staff that they are worthy of playing time.
With the Wisconsin Badgers looking to replace several starters from last year's offense, there were a number of players who made the most of more opportunities this fall.
Here is a look at 10 players from the Wisconsin offense who boosted their stock during fall camp and stood out in the four practices available to media members.
Riley Mahlman
Looking for answers at right tackle, Riley Mahlman has made the race with Logan Brown incredibly hard to gauge. Mahlman earned first-team reps over Brown on multiple occasions during the four practices available to media members, and this past Sunday was the No. 1 left tackle with Jack Nelson out with a thumb injury.
At this point, it is clear that Mahlman will either be the starting right tackle to begin the season or will at the very least be the backup at each tackle spot.
Only a redshirt freshman, Mahlman possesses elite size and athleticism for the tackle position. Assistant coach Bob Bostad is high on what he has done this fall, saying, "he is really trending up. He has by no means arrived, but I think he is going in the right direction fast."
Mahlman looked good throughout camp, and it will be interesting to see if he earns a starting nod against Illinois State.
Markus Allen
After a slow start in the spring, Markus Allen made the most of fall camp. The redshirt freshman from Ohio made several big touchdown receptions during the fall and demonstrated an ability to make contested catches.
In the four practices available to reporters, Allen had at least one long reception in each and was great in the red zone.
Coming into the fall, Allen was one of the top five receivers on the depth chart, but based on his performance, I think he has emerged as one of the top three options in the passing game along with Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell.
With his size and speed, Allen should be a critical part of the offense in 2022. Offensive coordinator Bobby Engram had this to say about what Allen needs to continue to do going forward:
"Just keep working. Working the details of his fundamentals. Release, running routes. Just really owning the playbook, and at the end of the day going out and finishing the play. But you know, he's still young, he's talented, so consistency is the key."
Skyler Bell
In the first few practices of fall camp there was not a more impressive player than Skyler Bell. The redshirt freshman wide receiver made a plethora of highlight reel plays, carrying over the momentum he had established during spring practice.
Bell worked alongside Chimere Dike as the No. 2 wide receiver consistently in fall practice and should give the offense another key target for Graham Mertz to throw to.
After missing most of fall camp last year, Bell told All Badgers leading up to fall camp, "this year, I'm just really trying to stay healthy, staying available, doing my job, and making plays."
In the four practices available, Bell definitely did that.
Dylan Barrett
While Dylan Barrett is not in contention for a starting role this fall, the redshirt sophomore offensive lineman proved he could help the team if needed.
Barrett opened fall camp as the No. 2 left guard, a spot he held throughout spring practice as well. However, with Cormac Sampson stepping away from football and a leg injury to Tanor Bortolini, Barrett has earned reps as the No. 2 center in the latter stages of camp.
The former three-star offensive lineman should give the Badgers another capable interior lineman with position versatility in case of injury this fall, a necessary role considering the grind of a Big Ten season.
The emergence of Barrett this fall is notable for his future and the health of the offensive line going forward.
Vinny Anthony
One of the biggest surprises of fall camp was true freshman wide receiver, Vinny Anthony.
The Louisville (Kentucky) native was a three-star signee in the 2022 recruiting class and has quickly earned reps as a first-year player.
Anthony was one of three players that consistently received punts in practice, joining Dean Engram and Chimere Dike, potentially signaling that he could be a future option as a return man.
Additionally, Anthony made multiple receptions during fall camp and even saw some reps with the first team offense on Sunday. He had one catch and also took a jet-sweep during the 11-on-11 scrimmage.
With the depth chart ahead of him fairly firm, Anthony appears to be the No. 6 based on reps, which is notable considering he did not enroll early in the spring. Anthony possesses an intriguing blend of speed and shiftiness, making him a player to watch this fall. I still think it is likely that Anthony redshirts, but I would not be shocked to see him play in four games as a reserve. If there are injuries, that number could quickly increase.
Chez Mellusi and Isaac Guerendo
I will go ahead and lump Chez Mellusi and Isaac Guerendo together for the sake of this exercise. Both players looked great in fall camp.
With each coming off of season-ending injuries and missing spring practice, the duo appears ahead of schedule, and there is little doubt that they will play in the season opener against Illinois State.
The fact that Mellusi and Guerendo were able to jump right in and bounce back up from hits is great news for the Badgers, and they should help provide a needed element to the offense behind Braelon Allen.
Wisconsin worked on getting the seniors involved in the passing game, and I think they should each have a prominent role in the offense. Mellusi could very well surpass 1,000 yards this season despite being No. 2 on the depth chart, while Guerendo's blend of size and speed is physically impressive.
When asked about what Guerendo could bring to the offense, Bobby Engram had this to say:
"He is a big, strong, explosive guy. He's another piece that he's a running back who has some receiving skills, so No. 1 he has worked really hard to get back, and he's a consistent worker that can help us win some games for sure."
Joe Brunner
Joe Brunner of Whitefish Bay High School (Wisconsin) is the second true freshman to make this list.
The highest-ranked recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, Brunner has jumped right in and earned reps with the second-team offensive line this fall. A former four-star recruit, he has worked primarily at left guard and could be a future star along the offensive line based on his work in fall camp.
It is quite uncommon for freshmen who do not enroll early to see snaps right away, but the fact that Brunner has is indicative of his talent level. Like most offensive linemen, the 6-foot-5 lineman is probably destined to redshirt this season, but he could easily push for a starting spot in 2023 if he continues to develop.
Bob Bostad had only positive things to say about the young interior offensive lineman during media availability.
Clay Cundiff
I really liked what I saw from Clay Cundiff during fall camp after missing the spring with an injury. Cundiff runs really well in the open field and is also a capable blocker.
Entering the final weeks of fall camp, the Kansas product is probably the No. 1 tight end given his skill set and I think he could give Graham Mertz another viable receiving option. Jack Eschenbach and Hayden Rucci have been the other two tight ends working with the first-team offense, but I think Cundiff is the closest to an every-down tight end that Wisconsin has on the roster.
While Cundiff did not rip off huge plays in practice, he was consistent and looked good throughout the four practices reporters saw. His health was a question mark coming into fall camp, and I think he looks ready to help the team out this season.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Engram had this to say about Cundiff's play in camp:
"I think he's done well. He has a good grasp of the playbook. You see him, he's a guy who is physical enough in the run game, he will get in there and mix it up. But he's got enough speed and athleticism to run a lot of routes on the route tree. You know, just trying to see what he can do well, and anytime you've got a playmaking tight end that just adds a different dimension to the offense. I'm happy for him after missing the spring, he's worked really hard to get back and you know, he will be able to help us."
Dean Engram
Last but certainly not least is Dean Engram. The former cornerback is a mismatch when playing slot wide receiver, and I think he will be a weapon for the Badgers this year.
Engram had a knack for finding holes in the defense and making plays after the catch, a piece of the passing game that was missing a year ago.
I was very impressed by how Engram transitioned from cornerback to wide receiver since last year, and I think he will be able to help the team as a pass catcher and on special teams. He was the No. 1 punt returner most of the time in camp, and I think his quickness and excellent hands make him one of the more dynamic players on the roster.
Engram made a couple of touchdown catches in the open practices, and I think he could be a threat in the red zone where he can create separate in tight quarters.
Related links:
- Two Badgers make the AP All-American team
- Fall practice recap No. 4 from August 21
- Outside linebacker Jordan Turner's impact going beyond the football field
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