Young CB Turning Heads in Badgers Fall Camp With 'Business-Like' Mentality

A true freshman cornerback is making waves in the back half of fall camp.

Wisconsin CB Donovan Dunmore. | Christian Borman.

Wisconsin's cornerback room has been one of the main focuses of fall camp, and for good reason.

Not only do the Badgers appear longer, faster and just generally more athletic at the position, but the battle at field cornerback between Jai'mier Scott and Eric Fletcher has been as hotly contested as any I've seen in recent years at Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, Florida State transfer Cai Bates has looked the part as well behind Arizona State transfer Javan Robinson; the Badgers could be four starting corners deep on the perimeter in addition to nickel Bryce West, who's fit like a glove in the slot since transferring from Ohio State.

Still, another cornerback has begun to make waves in the back half of Wisconsin's fall camp: true freshman Donovan Dunmore.

We knew the Clovis, California native had wheels. This May running track, Dunmore broke his district's 100-meter dash record, running a 10.29 and capturing the CIF Central Section Division I title.

But it's a mental attribute that has defensive coordinator Mike Tressel excited about his young cornerback.

Dunmore's "business-like" mentality

Wisconsin CBs Donvan Dunmore (18) and Cai Bates (3). | Christian Borman.

“He fires me up, because he’s really business-like. We know he can run, but he’s really business-like in his approach," Tressel told reporters after practice No. 13. "He’s wanting to know it. He’s in meetings taking notes, you can’t even really joke with him when you’re on the football field because he’s locked in."

"Sometimes, especially at corner types of positions when guys have just been that much physically better than other people, that focus isn't there from the get and I see that from him. The desire to compete with anybody from the get is impressive," the DC continued.

We knew Dunmore had athleticism in spades and at 6-1, he's got a good frame for a boundary cornerback as well. But it's very encouraging to see that he's already taking the mental part of the game quite seriously.

At practice No. 13, Dunmore was one of our top standouts. He notched a sack, an interception and swatted a deep pass intended for fellow freshman standout Kash Brock on a key third down in situational work.

Despite deploying a zone-heavy defense, Wisconsin wants corners that have the ability to play man-to-man when necessary, and between his frame at 6-1 and his track speed, Dunmore checks plenty of boxes in that category. He's unlikely to play meaningful snaps this fall, but the California native appears to have fast-tracked his development, and that's yet another reason to be excited for this Badgers' cornerback room.