Grading Every Offensive Starter for Wisconsin Football at the Bye Week

The Wisconsin football offense has been somewhat unexpected through five games.

While the Badgers have at times struggled to run the football (their 153.0 rushing yards per game ranks No. 78th nationally), their passing game has been more explosive than expected due to what was initially considered to be a lackluster assortment of pass-catchers. But between the emergence of wideout Malachi Coleman and tight end Jacob Harris, alongside the growth and development of players like Tyrell Henry and Eugene Hilton Jr, this passing game has some dangerous eligibles and explosiveness.

The ground game began to heat up in the homecoming win over Michigan State with 228 rushing yards, 141 of which were courtesy of quarterback Colton Joseph, whose mobility is an increasingly dynamic weapon for Wisconsin.

The Badgers have also done some shuffling on their offensive line; this offense remains a work in progress. But heading into the Week 6 bye, it's as good a time as any to evaluate Wisconsin's starters (plus a few other regular contributors).

Badgers On SI hands out grades for each, which are based on a player's performance as well as their importance to the team and respective expectations:

QB Colton Joseph

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Joseph has been pretty much exactly what we expected, although perhaps he's used his legs a little less than initially envisioned. Nonetheless, we've seen a dynamic quarterback who's drastically raised the ceiling and floor of this offense with his penchant for big and off-schedule plays. We've also seen some head-scratchingly poor throws and decisions, which was part of the deal when the Badgers stole him away from Old Dominion.

Grade: B

RB Abu Sama

Sama has been limited by injuries this season; we haven't really seen him at his full capacity aside from the first quarter of that Western Illinois game, when he surpassed 100 yards on two carries. Some are concerned with Sama's running style, believing that he's passing up yards while trying to break big plays. I can't say too much more other than that's not what's happening at all, but know this: despite his limited involvement through five games, Sama is crucial to this offense and his return to full strength would be massive. I won't knock him for being limited by injury, and he still leads the team with 6.8 yards per carry.

Grade: B+

RB Darrion Dupree

Dupree has been a revelation in the Badgers' backfield. He's gotten the most carries with 43, and also easily forced the most missed tackles with 12. His strength and contact balance appear to be on a different level this fall, and he looks like Wisconsin's most complete back.

Grade: A

WR Tyrell Henry

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Tyrell Henry. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Henry is the Badgers' leading receiver, largely due to a 14-catch, 160-yard, one-touchdown day against Eastern Michigan. Otherwise, he's been pretty quiet, especially as of late; he has just four catches across his last two games. Henry has had three drops as well, but none of them have been especially catastrophic. Henry has been dependable and productive if not exactly dynamic.

Grade: B

WR Malachi Coleman

The evaluation for Coleman, like Sama, is somewhat incomplete here because of the head injury he sustained against Western Illinois that forced him to miss Eastern Michigan game. But when he's been on the field, he's been explosive. He has a 28-yard touchdown against Notre Dame and a 48-yard touchdown against Michigan State, and he's Wisconsin's best NFL prospect at wide receiver. Still, you'd like to see him utilized a little more consistently.

Grade: B

WR Chris Brooks Jr

Brooks has been very solid. He's already in the midst of a career year with 11 catches for 194 yards and two scores, and he'll catch most everything thrown his way. He scored in back-to-back weeks against Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan, but he's not the best separator or the most dynamic with the ball in his hands. Nonetheless, Brooks has done everything asked of him this season.

Grade: B+

WR Eugene Hilton Jr

Wisconsin wide receiver Eugene Hilton Jr. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Hilton just can't seem to get consistently involved as a pass-catcher, but to be fair, the same goes for every receiver on this offense; it's really a committee situation. Hilton's touchdown against Penn State was one of the prettiest catches the Badgers have made all year, but he hasn't done a whole lot past that. Outside of two drops, he's been reliable when targeted, but you get the feeling he's still just scratching the surface of his potential.

Grade: B-

TE Jacob Harris

Harris has been nothing short of a revelation in Madison. The former Bowling Green tight end is the team's second-leading receiver with 13 catches for 238 yards and three scores. His hands are preposterous, and his body control for a 6-6, 265-pound individual is something to behold. Harris has developed into quite the weapon in Madison.

Grade: A+

OT PJ Wilkins

Wilkins simply hasn't been good enough for the Badgers, particularly in pass protection. He lost the starting left tackle gig in Week 5 against the Spartans, and flipped to the right side where he rotated with Emerson Mandell (who still took the majority of the snaps). In his rotational role, Wilkins was much better; he didn't allow a single pressure for the first time all season. We'll see what Wilkins' future holds in Madison, but he's a fringe starter at this point.

Grade: D

LG Colin Cubberly

Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Colin Cubberly. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cubberly has, at times, looked like Wisconsin's best offensive lineman. At 6-6, 325 pounds, he's the Badgers' heaviest starter up front and he's been very solid as both a run blocker and in pass protection.

Grade: B+

C Austin Kawecki

Kawecki's status is up in the air right now, as he sustained an injury against Michigan State and was replaced by Ryan Cory, who played surprisingly well in his stead after a rough 2025 campaign. Kawecki has been good if not great for the Badgers. He's had a few bad snaps here and there, but he's been the plug-and-play starter they envisioned when they signed him out of Oklahoma State.

Grade: B-

RG Stylz Blackmon

What a rise it's been for Blackmon, from playing D-II ball last fall to now essentially locking up the Badgers' starting right guard spot. He's shattered every expectation since transferring from D-II Augustana, and he looks like Wisconsin's starting right guard for the foreseeable future.

Grade: A

OT Kevin Heywood

Wisconsin offensive lineman Kevin Heywood. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Heywood, who got injured on the second day of fall camp, was a huge talking point during the final month leading up to the season due to his health, or perceived lack thereof. He started in Week 1, however, and we've barely mentioned him since. For an offensive tackle, that's a great sign. Heywood does have four penalties thus far, which he needs to cut down on, but in terms of his play on a rep-by-rep basis, he's really helped settle the Badgers' tackle position, and his move to left tackle should be very beneficial to this offense.

Grade: B+

Add us as a preferred source on Google