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Wisconsin Badgers continue rebuilding secondary, adding former 4-star CB from Florida State in transfer portal

The Wisconsin Badgers are rebuilding their secondary in the transfer portal, adding another cornerback with size and Power 4 conference pedigree
Lorin Cox|
Florida State cornerback Cai Bates (14) is the latest transfer portal addition for the Wisconsin Badgers secondary.
Florida State cornerback Cai Bates (14) is the latest transfer portal addition for the Wisconsin Badgers secondary. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Wisconsin Badgers momentum in the transfer portal isn't slowing down after a busy first weekend of signings.

A lot of the emphasis went on offense, but new cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples has been busy adding depth to his position group as well.

He landed a second cornerback in the portal on Monday, securing a commitment from Cai Bates out of Florida State.

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Bates was a consensus four-star recruit coming out of high school in the 2024 class from Orlando. Rivals and 247 Sports both had him ranked as a Top 15 cornerback recruit in the country.

Rivals ranked him as a Top 100 prospect overall.

He appeared in three games in 2024 but still maintained a redshirt. He played a larger role this past season on special teams but appeared on defense in only two contests.

In his career at Florida State, Bates was targeted in coverage three times, allowing two catches for 12 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown against Notre Dame in 2024, according to PFF.

He is listed at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, offering solid length at the outside cornerback position where the Badgers are lacking experienced depth.

Related: New Wisconsin Badgers cornerbacks coach picks up intriguing young transfer CB

Veteran Ricardo Hallman is off to the NFL Draft, while D'Yoni Hill graduated and Geimere Lattimer headed to the transfer portal.

That left Wisconsin with redshirt sophomore Omillio Agard and rising sophomore Cairo Skanes as their most experienced returning players.

Bates joins fellow transfer portal addition Eric Fletcher as the newest reinforcements to the group, both with three years of eligibility remaining.

The cornerback room will have a lot to prove this season, but the Badgers have created a lot more competition at a position that sorely needed it.

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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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