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Preston Zachman ranks among PFF's highest-graded returning safeties in Big Ten

PFF graded Wisconsin Badgers safety Preston Zachman as one of the best in the Big Ten returning for 2025. He's ready to step out of Hunter Wohler's shadow.
Lorin Cox|
Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers safety Preston Zachman (14) during the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium.
Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers safety Preston Zachman (14) during the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin Badgers safety Preston Zachman hasn't been named to any college football award watch lists, but he's well regarded on the back end of Luke Fickell's defense.

After emerging as a solid starter next to Hunter Wohler last season, he's in position to take over as one of the faces of the defense.

According to PFF, he's one of the highest-graded safeties returning to the Big Ten this season.

He was their highest-graded player on the Badgers last season, ahead of NFL Draft picks like Wohler and Jack Nelson.

PFF charted him with six pass breakups, tied with Wohler and Purdue's Dillon Thieneman for the most in the conference. Zachman also missed only one tackle while in pass coverage last season.

He's stepping into a leadership role in the secondary now, especially as the team adapts to the unexpected loss of cornerback Nyzir Fourqurean for at least the first four games of the season.

Zachman will have to elevate his playmaking to even another level, and Fickell is hopeful that the upgrades Wisconsin made up front will help make the job a little easier behind them.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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