The Three Most Intriguing Athletes on Wisconsin Football's Offense

They may not make Bruce Feldman's freaks list, but Wisconsin football has some intriguing athletes on the roster ahead of the 2026 season.

Of course, plenty of players carry a ton of intrigue heading into an extremely critical season in Madison. But which players on the team are the most interesting athletes? Who boasts the most impressive measurables, the most unique physical frames, and the freakiest size/speed combinations?

Below, Badgers On SI takes a look at the three most intriguing athletes on the offensive side of the ball:

1. QB Colton Joseph

Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph — Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph takes part in practice. | Christian Borman

This is an easy one. Though all of the quarterbacks in coach Kenny Guiton's room have displayed impressive dual-threat ability on multiple occasions, Joseph looks like the most dynamic. His arm talent looks above average, even if accuracy is something of a concern, but his legs are absolutely tantalizing; he ran for 1,654 yards and 24 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Did that production come in the Sun Belt? It sure did. Does Joseph still have to prove himself at the Big Ten level? Absolutely. But let's not kid ourselves here. Joseph ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns in the opener against Indiana last fall, including two 75-yard-plus rushing touchdowns. The Hoosiers didn't allow more than 117 rushing yards in a single game the rest of the season.

The quarterback is blazing fast and quite elusive in the pocket. He's arguably one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the country, in the most pure sense of the word. He's obviously crucial to the Badgers as their QB1, but he also does things very few other players at his position can do.

2. OT Lucas Simmons-Johansson

Simmons-Johansson doesn't appear slated for a starting role — he looks like the Badgers' third offensive tackle behind Kevin Heywood and PJ Wilkins. Nonetheless, the former Florida State Seminole is one of the most fascinating lineman on the team.

According to offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, Simmons-Johansson got off to a slow start this spring as he adjusted to a brand new offense. Still, by the end of camp he was earning reps with the starters, clearly taking big strides over the course of just 15 practices.

Simmons-Johansson is currently listed at 6-foot-7, 308 pounds, but offensive line coach Eric Mateos divulged that he's already put on 12 pounds during summer workouts. That's a really promising frame for the lineman, and there's optimism the former top-10 tackle recruit in the country can put it together with the Badgers.

3. TE Jacob Harris

Wisconsin tight end Jacob Harris. | Christian Borman.

Whether or not Harris' game translates to the Big Ten could have an enormous impact on this offense. The 6-foot-7, 270-pound tight end is the biggest player in the room and also potentially the best receiver, making his skillset quite fascinating.

The former Bowling Green Falcon only caught 19 passes for 182 yards last season, but he parlayed that into five touchdowns while operating as a big-time redzone threat. On tape, Harris displays soft hands and some wiggle after the catch, which again at his size is a rare trait.

Tight ends coach Nate Letton said Harris is "more blessed with (good hands) probably more than anybody I've been around," and when you couple that with his size and ability to run routes, you have a potentially fascinating pass-catching option that Letton also called his "fun little toy." That should tell you the Badgers understand the uniqueness of Harris' game and traits.

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