Projecting Wisconsin Football's Defensive Two-Deep Ahead of Summer Workouts

Taking a crack at the Badgers' defensive starters as of late May.

Wisconsin safety Carson Van Dinter. | Christian Borman.

Spring practice has come and gone for the Badgers, and with it, we've learned plenty about who figures to play where this fall.

There's still 15 official practices remaining before the season begins, as Wisconsin's fall camp commences shortly after Big Ten and local media days. But before the position battles really heat up under the August Midwestern sun, we have a pretty good estimation of what the Badgers' depth chart could look like in 2026.

As we did for the offense, let's take a post-spring ball, pre-summer workouts, late-May gander at Wisconsin's defensive two-deep:

Defensive Line

Wisconsin DL Charles Perkins. | Christian Borman.

Hammond Russell IV (6th-SR)	Charles Perkins (R-SR)
Junior Poyser (R-JR)	Dillan Johnson (JR)

Russell and Perkins, the two most-experienced linemen in the room, also figure to be the two at the top of the pecking order for coach EJ Whitlow. Last season, Wisconsin assembled a formidable defensive line by relying on a consistent rotation of large, veteran players. It appears to have all of the variables to complete that formula once again this fall. Could this finally be the Dillan Johnson breakout year? It appears to be now or never.

Outside Linebackers

Sebastian Cheeks (R-Sr)	Tyreese Fearbry (R-Sr)
Nick Clayton (SO)	Justus Boone (6th-SR)

Cheeks is the unquestioned leader of this room, a player defensive coordinator Mike Tressel publicly challenged to take a Darryl Peterson-like leap in his fifth-year senior season. According to outside linebackers' coach Matt Mitchell, he and rising sophomore Nick Clayton have the best pure pass-rush get off, which leads me to believe the latter is primed for some reps as well this season. Mitchell said be burned Clayton's redshirt intentionally last fall in order to get him experience, and he's ready to be unleashed this fall. Fearbry has all of the physical tools in the world but needs to put it all together, while Boone is similar to a Michael Garner-type of jumbo-sized edge.

Inside Linebackers

Cooper Catalano (left), Mason Posa (center) and Tuf Borland (right). | Christian Borman.

ILB	ILB	STAR
Mason Posa (SO)	Cooper Catalano (SO)	Jon Jon Kamara (R-SO)
Taylor Schaefer (JR)	Aaron Witt (5th-SR)	Thomas Heiberger (R-SO)

The Badgers are expected to play with more three-ILB looks this fall, and that third position (or the "STAR" linebacker) looks to be in good hands. Kansas transfer Jon Jon Kamara has drawn praise from multiple players and coaches and looks to be better than initially expected. Posa and Catalano, meanwhile, are likely the two best defenders on the team. JUCO transfer Taylor Schaefer's physicality should serve him well in a backup role, while Aaron Witt carries five prior years of experience with him.

Cornerbacks

Boundary CB	Field CB	Nickel
Jai'mier Scott (R-FR)	Javan Robinson (R-SR)	Bryce West (R-SO)
Cai Bates (R-SO)	Eric Fletcher (R-SO)	Raphael Dunn (R-SO)

The big question in this room is whether or not Scott can earn a starting job by Week 1. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I'd give him a great shot. Fletcher is a little behind as he was limited by an injury this spring, and he was also moved to field corner. Scott, meanwhile, has the requisite size to play press coverage in the boundary corner role and teammates and coaches alike have raved about him all spring. At nickel, West looks the best player Luke Fickell has deployed in that spot during his tenure in Madison.

Safeties

Wisconsin safety Marvin Burks Jr. | Christian Borman.

SS	FS
Marvin Burks Jr. (SR)	Matt Jung (R-SR)
Cairo Skanes (SO)	Carson Van Dinter (R-SO)

The ceiling of this safety room is largely dependent on what kind of leap Jung can take in his second year in Madison. Burks, a two-year starter in the SEC, looks to be an extremely reliable and versatile option. Van Dinter has some nice traits, namely his speed, that makes him a good player off the bench. Meanwhile, the staff appears enamored with Skanes' potential. At the moment, this room appears just fine; some notable growth from Jung, Van Dinter or Skanes would make safety coach Jack Cooper's unit more dangerous.