Wisconsin wide receiver Trech Kekahuna was included in ESPN’s top sleeper picks for the 2024 college football season on Thursday.
Kekahuna made a notable splash for UW as a redshirt freshman in 2023. In his one appearance, the Hawaii native showcased his potential with four catches and 64 receiving yards in Wisconsin’s ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU.
The former three-star recruit originally committed to Wisconsin back in 2022 when Paul Chryst was head coach. He decommitted as the Badgers underwent a coaching change, though went on to commit to Luke Fickell’s class once the dust had settled.
The electric playmaker enters 2024 as the Badgers’ No. 2 slot receiver behind star Will Pauling. As Pauling has already shown, that position can have a substantial impact in OC Phil Longo’s air raid offense.
New for ESPN+: Top player sleeper picks for the 2024 season. I polled more than 30 CFB coaches to find out who is under the radar on their teams, and why they expect breakthroughs this fall. https://t.co/5bG80p1NUh
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) August 15, 2024
“Wisconsin seeks a big jump in production from its Air Raid-style offense in Year 2 of the Luke Fickell regime. The Badgers saw Will Pauling emerge as a top receiver in 2023, and they expect Kekahuna to help in the slot role,” ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg writes. “A broken bone in Kekahuna’s foot limited him early in his true freshman season, but he played in the final five games and recorded all of his receiving production against LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl…He could also be a factor on returns.”
The 5-foot-10 receiver also enters his second season in Madison with an endorsement from star safety Hunter Wohler. On Wisconsin’s Big Ten media day availability, the DB said this of Kekahuna:
““I think he’s going to be a standout this year, and I think he’s going to put the world on notice that he’s here. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us,” Wohler said.”
Given Wisconsin’s air-raid offensive focus, Kekahuna is certainly positioned to make some splashes in space this fall. He will receive his fist opportunity on UW’s Aug. 30 home opener.