Wisconsin football: six sophomores ready for a bigger role in 2022

Which sophomores on the Wisconsin Badgers football team could push for more playing time in 2022?

Author:
Matt Belz
Publish date:
Jul 5, 2022 1:58 PM EDT

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Wisconsin Badgers

As largely a development program, the Wisconsin Badgers football team relies on players making gains under the guidance of the strength and conditioning staff and stepping up after some time on the roster.

Each year, a handful of players take advantage of new opportunities for playing time and become significant contributors.

With the Badgers looking to replace a number of starters on each side of the ball, let's break down six sophomores on the roster who could be ready for a bigger role in 2022.

Previously covered grade levels:

Hunter Wohler

After seeing the field in 2021 primarily on special teams, the expectation was that Hunter Wohler would compete for playing time with projected starters Travian Blaylock and John Torchio at safety in 2022.

However, an unfortunate ACL injury to senior Travian Blaylock back on April 5 forced Wohler into the starting lineup earlier than originally thought. As a result, he worked alongside Torchio most of the spring with the first-team defense.

In the spring, he delivered several big hits, and the physicality he plays with is an asset that fans will love come the fall. Wohler is explosive upon contact, and his speed allows him to cover plenty of ground in the backend of the defense.

A former four-star recruit from Muskego High School (Wis.), Wohler possesses all of the talent needed to be an All-Big Ten type player in Wisconsin's defense, but he will gain experience on the fly this season. Jim Leonhard had this to say about Wohler last season:

"I've been impressed. Obviously, physically he moves really well. Smooth. Great size. He has had very few mental errors, but it is just about cleaning things up. "Wohler played in 13 games last season, and finished with

Wohler played in 13 games last year and finished the season with 17 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, and a pass breakup.

Jordan Turner

Jordan Turner was a player that consistently stood out when the reserves came in once games were out of reach last season. Despite playing in only six games, with many of the reps on special teams, Turner finished fourth on the team with two interceptions.

An athletic and quick linebacker, Turner can get downhill in a hurry and looked good this spring. Though he did not begin the spring with the first-team defense, he and junior Tate Grass finished the second half of camp with the top group. Turner's coverage skills and speed make him a different type of linebacker than Wisconsin has had the past two seasons, but he has tremendous upside.

It is hard to envision a scenario in which Turner and Grass maintain the level of production that Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal put together last season, but I do think that the duo will provide the defense with some speed and flexibility at inside linebacker.

Tanor Bortolini

After spring ball, there are still some lingering questions when it comes to the Wisconsin offensive line this fall. One player that continues to look the part is sophomore Tanor Bortolini.

Bortolini has already made multiple emergency starts during his first two seasons in Madison, but the Kewaunee (Wis.) native is looking to make his role on the offensive line more permanent in 2022.

Working at center with Joe Tippmann out with an injury, Bortolini took most of the first-team reps and was one of the more consistent players on the line. Tippmann still figures to be the starter in the fall at center, but Bortolini brings athleticism and experience that would allow him to play anywhere along the line.

It will be fascinating to see where Bortolini lines up in the fall because Bob Bostad could use him at either guard spots or at right tackle. That type of versatility drastically improves the odds that he winds up somewhere in the starting lineup, or at the very least is a swing reserve, backing up multiple positions.

James Thompson Jr.

With Matt Henningsen off playing with the Denver Broncos, James Thompson Jr. should see more playing time next season.

The 6-foot-5 defensive end is one of the bigger, more physical defensive linemen on the roster, making him ideally suited as an end in Wisconsin's 3-4 base defense.

Thompson made great strides last season after missing most of his freshman year with an injury, and this spring was a handful for the second-team defense. He saw the field in 10 games in 2021, and that number should climb, assuming he can stay healthy.

Rodas Johnson and Isaiah Mullens are the probable starters entering fall camp, but Thompson Jr. should give both players a necessary third player to rotate in, allowing the line to stay fresh.

Matt Henningsen spoke glowingly about the work that Thompson put together in the weight room during the off-season, and I think the sophomore could be a key piece in the defensive line rotation next season. There just aren't that many players with his blend of size and strength.

Kaden Johnson

One of the biggest recruiting wins for Wisconsin in the 2019 recruiting class, Kaden Johnson, has only seen sparse playing time with the Badgers during his first two seasons on campus. A former four-star recruit, Johnson saw the field on kickoff returns last season and delivered a crucial block on Stephan Bracey's 91-yard touchdown return, but outside of that was rarely on the field beyond late-game situations.

That all changed this spring, though. Johnson received first-team reps at outside linebacker with Nick Herbig working his way back from an injury, and the Minnesota native flashed at times in practice. Wisconsin has so much depth at outside linebacker that Johnson is unlikely to become a full-fledged starter in 2022, but the future is bright for him, and I think he will rotate in with Herbig next season. The duo of Herbig and Johnson on the field-side should give the Badgers a really nice one-two punch and allow both to stay fresh throughout the season. I would expect Johnson to also be a fixture on special teams this fall, given his athletic ability.

Riley Nowakowski

This list could have easily gone on to be 10-12 players in length, but for the sake of brevity, we will wrap things up with Riley Nowakowski.

The walk-on fullback from Milwaukee has played in six games over the course of his two-year career in Madison, and I think he could easily double that in 2022.

Nowakowski was utilized as a fullback and tight end during the spring, and his ability to help out at each position should allow him to see the field come the fall. Wisconsin frequently deploys multiple tight ends and fullbacks in various packages, and Nowakowski is a capable receiving threat too.

The former high school running back and linebacker is a good athlete with position versatility, and I believe Nowakowski will be the latest walk-on success story from Marquette University High School for the Badgers.

Honorable mention: