A Wisconsin Badger is the highest-rated coverage defender that is returning next season in the Big Ten
[lawrence-newsletter]Pro Football Focus, a football data company that specializes in analytics, recently named a Wisconsin Badger as the best returning Big Ten defender at covering the pass. That Badger is safety Eric Burrell, who is coming off his best season in Madison as a junior. Burrell is sure to be a leader in 2020 on the defensive side of the ball in his senior season.
The highest coverage grade among returning Big Ten defenders:
This past season, the Severn, Maryland native set career-highs in nearly every statistical category, including total tackles, solo tackles, interceptions, and passes defended (PD). Burrell finished the year with 55 total tackles, a pair of sacks, three interceptions, and six passes defended. He finished with a PFF coverage grade of 88.9.
Burrell came into the year behind Scott Nelson on the depth chart, but after Nelson went out of the season-opener against USF with a leg injury that would ultimately hold him out the entire year, Burrell shined as the weekly starter. Wisconsin will have an embarrassment of riches next season at the safety position with Burrell, Nelson, and redshirt-sophomore Reggie Pearson all returning.
The Badgers add another offer in the class of 2021
[lawrence-newsletter]New Badger wide receiver coach Alvis Whitted has waisted no time getting busy in his first few months on the job. Coach Whitted extended another offer to a 2021 WR yesterday. Three-star prospect (according to 247sports) Kamonte Grimes was the latest UW offer in the 2021 class.
On tape, Grimes has highlights on both sides of the football. The wide receiver doubles as a lockdown defensive back, and whatever school lands the Florida native will have to decide where he fits best. He even stepped in at QB during his junior season at Palmetto Ridge High School.
Grimes currently holds offers from the likes of Kentucky, Michigan, and Cincinnati.
The former Badger QB used Wisconsin connections to gain some insight into the Badger wideout. Bevell’s Lions ended up drafting Cephus.
[lawrence-newsletter]When the GM of the Detroit Lions Bob Quinn talked through the decision to take Wisconsin WR Quintez Cephus in the fifth round of the NFL draft, he mentioned that a former Badger was instrumental in the process. Former Badger and current Detroit Lions OC Darrell Bevell played a key role in bringing in Wisconsin’s top receiver.
Once upon a time, Bevell played a starring role in a storybook season at Wisconsin. Bevell was the starting QB at Wisconsin from 1992-1996, and was crucial in then Head Coach Barry Alvarez turning the tide in Madison. The former Badger QB led Wisconsin to a Rose Bowl win in the 1993 season — the first Badger Rose Bowl appearance since 1963 — in which the Badgers defeated UCLA 21-16. During a coaching career that has lasted over two decades, Bevell began at the collegiate ranks before taking his first NFL job in Green Bay as the QB coach from 2000-2005. He then landed his first OC job with Minnesota in 2006, before moving on to serve the same role in Seattle and now in Detroit.
During Quinn’s online media availability following the final day of the NFL draft, the Lions GM raved about the talent that Cephus brings to Detroit. “Cephus is a really, really strong player, very physical, great catch radius, strong hands,” said Quinn.
The Lions GM went on to add that Bevell’s relationship at Wisconsin played a part in their interest with Cephus. “Coach Bevell has a strong relationship up at Wisconsin and one of his former teammates is one of the coaches up there,” said Quinn. “We really got a good recommendation on that player [Cephus] in the fifth round.”
The former teammate that Quinn could be referring to is Wisconsin offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph, who was the starting left guard on the 1993 Rose Bowl winning team that had Bevell at QB. According to the Lions GM, the relationship between the two proved important in Detroit’s prospect evaluation, and eventual selection, of Cephus. The saying ‘once a Badger, always a Badger’ certainly holds true in this case.
Where will former Wisconsin Badger Jonathan Taylor land in the 2020 NFL Draft?
Entering the 2019 season it was expected that this would be Jonathan Taylor’s final season with Wisconsin. Considering there isn’t much left for the two-time Doak Walker Award winner to accomplish at the collegiate level as Taylor will go down as one of the greatest running backs in college football history.
After setting an FBS freshman rushing record for yards (1,977) he followed up his phenomenal freshman season by posting consecutive 2,000 yard rushing seasons. In addition, he was named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year and he was a unanimous first-team All-American over his final two seasons in Madison.
In this Badgers Wire feature, we will examine Taylor’s strengths, weaknesses and where he could possibly land in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Strengths:
Ther’es no denying Taylor’s production. Considering in the 41 career games he appeared in he only failed to rush for 100 yards in nine games and he never posted consecutive games of less than 100 yards rushing.
One area that became clear about Taylor was how good his patience and vision are. Taylor was rarely tackled behind the line of scrimmage as over his three years he averaged 37.6 yards per loss a season. Taylor was able to make the first defender miss as he’s able to get to the second level as it took multiple defenders at times to tackle him.
One question scouts had that surrounded Taylor entering the combine was how fast would Taylor run in the 40-yard dash? Any concerns about his speed were put to rest as he ran an impressive 4.39 second in the 40-yard dash.
That time will certainly boost his stock and help elevate him up some draft boards and potentially move him into the back of the first round.
Multiple Badgers across a wide variety of positions were included. Jonathan Taylor led the way for the running backs as the top overall ranked prospect at his position. The two-time Doak Walker Award winner was followed by Georgia’s D’Andre Swift and fellow Big Ten star J.K. Dobbins out of Ohio State. It would certainly be a surprise to not see Taylor as the first running back off the board come draft day. The question remains as to whether he is taken in round one on Thursday or has to wait until Friday to hear his name called.
Chris Orr, a player who has seen his stock rapidly rise after a sensational senior season followed by a solid Wisconsin pro day, was ranked as the tenth best linebacker. The rankings considered Badger ‘backer Zack Baun as an “edge defender,” and had the Brown Deer (Wisc.) native listed as the sixth best overall prospect at that position.
Former Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz was listed as the eighth best interior offensive lineman. Expect the 6-3 lineman to be the third Badger off the board, after Baun and Taylor respectively.
Rounding out the Badger appearances in USA TODAY’s rankings was wide receiver Quintez Cephus, who clocked in as the 18th overall prospect at his position. After a strong Wisconsin pro day performance where Cephus improved his 40-yard dash time from 4.73 at the combine to 4.58 on pro day, the Georgia native will hope to hear his name called near the end of this weekend.
The former Badger star met with an NFL franchise via facetime, and we got to listen in to a portion of the interview
With nearly all sports on a worldwide shutdown, the NFL Draft is one of the few sporting events still pushing forward. Of course, there are major changes being made not only to the draft itself, but also to the process.
For the athletes, the NFL Draft is already a time of uncertainty. You are wondering where you will land, if you are a first round pick, or maybe if you will be drafted at all. There are a number of factors that go into the draft process, and there is a considerable amount of work to be done off the field as well as on. One of the main off the field tasks for prospective NFL players is the draft interview process. This is, after all, a full-time job that requires a job interview. You have to be ready for any and all questions.
This year, those interviews look very different, as instead of meeting with teams in person, players and teams have to conduct interviews over the internet. This morning, the Dallas Cowboys gave us an inside look at one of these interviews with former Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun. The Badger outside linebacker had a fantastic senior season in 2019, as he racked up 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, and has been a second-round selection in most mock drafts.
The Wisconsin native met with the Cowboys organization today for a virtual interview. With Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and newly-hired Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on the line, we saw a glimpse of Baun talking about his motor and his love for the game of football thanks to the Cowboys Twitter account:
The #DallasCowboys continued their virtual #NFLDraft prep interviewing Wisconsin LB Zack Baun.
The Badgers are still in the battle for one of their top 2021 targets
Just a matter of minutes ago via Twitter, 2021 four-star defensive end TJ Bollers announced that Wisconsin was in his top-6 schools. Bollers is certainly one of Wisconsin’s top targets, and had been rumored to have the Badgers as one of his top choices. According to 247sports lead recruiting expert Allen Trieu, Wisconsin is the most likely destination for the Iowa native.
This recruiting battle is far from over. Among the top six for Bollers are fellow Big Ten foes Nebraska and Northwestern. Also included is the juggernaut that is Alabama football. The Iowa native is a 6-3, 237 weak-side defensive end who is currently ranked as the second-best prospect in the state of Iowa by 247sports’ composite rankings. Check out the four-star prospect’s highlights via Hudl from his junior season at Clear Creek Amana High School: TJ Bollers junior season highlights
The NCAA has made the decision to stop all on-campus recruiting and off-campus recruiting until at least April 15th in a continued global effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly all sports-related activities on all campuses have now …
The NCAA has made the decision to stop all on-campus recruiting and off-campus recruiting until at least April 15th in a continued global effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Nearly all sports-related activities on all campuses have now come to a halt in the last two days.
This of course not only affects the institutions who are recruiting athletes, but the athletes trying to land life-changing scholarships. This news comes after many national recruiting camps for college sports had been cancelled yesterday and into today. This is an uncertain time for many, and the question to truly ask is not when recruiting will pick back up, but when students in general, athletes and non-athletes, will be back on campus.
The Big Ten Conference has already halted all team activities until at least April 6th, but in the case of the University of Wisconsin the earliest classes could start in-person would be April 10th. Obviously, that is a very fluid date given the rapidly changing nature of the virus and the protocol being put in place to slow the spread. While some recruits will never get the chance at a full recruiting cycle, hopefully many young athletes find their homes for the next four or more years in the midst of all the chaos.
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Wisconsin linebacker Chris Orr
When your dad is a two-time Super Bowl champion, expectations can be high once you hit the gridiron yourself.
The football legacy of Wisconsin linebacker Chris Orr is off to a strong start, though.
A complete prospect who excels in every area of the game, Orr recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his football bloodlines, how playing for the Badgers prepared him for NFL success, and what kind of impact he’ll have at the next level.
JM: What’s your favorite part about playing the linebacker position?
CO: I enjoy how smart you have to be to play this position. You’re the glue of the defense. Things happen at a fast pace at this position and you can’t be slow to react. You have the opportunity to play a role in every single snap. Whether it’s pass or a run, you have a role to play. You can make an impact. You might not be involved on a deep ball, but those don’t happen very often. Other than that you’re involved on a snap-by-snap basis. That’s what I love about playing linebacker.
JM: You come from a football family. Your dad played in the league, and won a couple of Super Bowls. Both of your brothers played football, as well. You’ve had a front-row seat to the ups and downs of football. What did you learn from watching what they went through?
CO: First of all, it taught me that hard work pays off. That’s one thing that gets preached to you when you’re a kid, but I had a chance to witness it. I saw them work hard to achieve their dreams. They never stopped working. You’re gonna love this game forever but that doesn’t mean that things are always gonna bounce your way. Things don’t go according to plan sometimes. That’s a lesson that extends beyond football. I’ve had my own experiences with adversity throughout my time playing football.
Seeing my family go through the ups and downs that football can take you through, I was going through some things myself. I feel like I’m prepared for anything.
Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
JM: What do you enjoy more, dropping back into coverage or coming downhill in the run game?
CO: That’s a tough question. I’ll go with coming downhill in the run game. I enjoy people running right at me, trying to run through my face. Let somebody try to run me over. That’s what I enjoy. I enjoy the violence of football to be honest. Dropping back into coverage can be great as well. It’s fun to get your hands on the football in the passing game so that’s a tough decision, but I’ll go with the run game.
JM: Playing at Wisconsin afforded you the opportunity to play against some of the best competition college football has to offer. Who are some of the best players you’ve squared off with?
CO: Wow, that’s tough. I don’t wanna leave anybody out. First and foremost, our own running back Jonathan Taylor. He’s probably the best running back I’ve ever played against or even watched live. He’s the complete package. To top things off, he’s a great teammate and a great friend as well. I have to start with him.
I think that Nate Stanley is a pretty good quarterback. Not enough people talk about him. That might change in the future. Justin Herbert was great. The offensive line lists can go on and on. I tend to group those guys as a unit. My freshmen year in 2015, we played against Alabama in my first collegiate game. They had Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake. I got to see how fast Tony Brown was. That was a big wake-up call for me. That let me know how much more work I had to put in, and I’m still working to this day. Those guys were dominant.
I’ve played against some great people. The Michigan defense was great. I wasn’t necessarily on the field against them but that Michigan defense in 2016 had Taco Charlton, Maurice Hurst and Devin Bush. It’s crazy, Bush is younger than me but he motivated me a lot. We’re pretty similar in size, I’m actually a little bigger than he is but we’re both considered to be undersized linebackers. Watching him play at such a high level as a rookie in the NFL, I can’t help but tip my hat to that guy and feel great about my chances.
Man, this is crazy. I can go on and on. Clayton Thorson was a pretty good quarterback. He went to Northwestern. If I asked anybody to name a single receiver he was throwing the ball to, I’m not sure anybody can do that. For him to put up the numbers that he did and lead them to compete for a Big 12 Championship, that says something about the guy.
J.K. Dobbins is a pretty great running back. I played against Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice during my sophomore year. Tre’Davious White was a great cornerback for LSU and he’s been great in the NFL as well. I’m probably missing some people, but I’ve played against some fantastic talent.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
JM: You’ve had so many great teammates throughout your time at Wisconsin, but if you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one with you, who would it be and why?
CO: I would bring Mike Caputo, for a few reasons. First off, he’s crazy (laughs). Secondly, he’s one of the smartest football minds I’ve ever been around. I know he’s gonna put his body on the line. That was his game. He put it all on the line every single week. He kinda showed me the way. He made me understand how to lead the Wisconsin program. I’d definitely take him with me. There’s a lot of people I can take with me. I can take any offensive linemen I’ve ever played with (laughs). Jason Erdmann is another guy. He had the strongest punch that I’ve ever felt from an offensive linemen.
Man, that’s such a tough question. I’m taking all of my teammates with me! (laughs). I can’t leave anybody behind. If I can take just one, I’m taking Mike Caputo.
JM: Is there one NFL superstar that you’d love to play against?
CO: Oh yeah, there’s plenty of them. I would love to go up against all of the great up and coming running backs and quarterbacks. I would love to square off with Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or DeShaun Watson. All of the young guys that you can tell are gonna be elite for years to come.
I’d love to get another shot at Derrick Henry. Running backs like Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott come to mind. Anybody that has greatness in their future, I’d love to play against them. I’d love to test my game against those guys and see where I’m at.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
JM: Not a lot of people wanna tackle Derrick Henry.
CO: You’re right (laughs). But hey, it’s football. He’s basically a running back from the 1980’s that’s also really fast. It doesn’t make any sense. He’s literally like a defensive end playing running back.
JM: Why should an NFL team use one of their draft picks on Chris Orr?
CO: I think an NFL team should use one of their draft picks on me because I love the game of football. I know a lot of people say that, but I truly do. You really find out how much you love the game when you have it taken away from you for a little bit. I suffered an ACL injury in my past. When the game was taken away from me, I realized that the thirst and hunger that I have for this game will probably never go away. I’ll probably get into coaching one day. I just love the game of football. They’re gonna get a violent player. They’re gonna get a high energy guy that never takes a play off. It doesn’t matter if my lungs are about to explode. I play the game for more than just myself. I play for the team. I love my teammates. You’re getting a high character guy with a high football I.Q.
I’d be more than blessed if a team were to use a draft pick on me. That would be a dream come true. I would definitely shed some tears.
ESPN’s major morning kickoff show will be in Minneapolis for the first time ever, as the Badgers come to town.
Next Saturday in Minneapolis, there will be plenty on the line as the No. 12 Badgers travel to face their biggest rival, the No. 10 Gophers, on the road.
As always, it will be a battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, one that has been played an incredible 128 times, the most in the nation.
In addition, this year’s matchup will be for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game against Ohio State in Indianapolis.
And for the first time in Minneapolis and the history of the Gophers, ESPN’s College GameDay show will be on hand for the matchup, as announced Saturday evening by the worldwide leader in sports.
ROW THE BOAT! 🚣♂️
For the first time ever … We're headed to Minneapolis! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, @GopherFootball!
Wisconsin had recently dominated the series, but Minnesota beat the Badgers in Madison last season to take back the Axe, and remarkably, tie the series at 60-60-8 through 128 games.
The game will be played at 2:30 on ABC next Saturday, while ESPN’s College GameDay can be seen at 9:00 Eastern time Saturday morning to start the full day of college football.
