Tag: Dean Engram

Former Wisconsin cornerback and wide receiver commits to UConn

Former Wisconsin cornerback and wide receiver commits to UConn

Former Wisconsin Badgers cornerback and wide receiver Dean Engram announced his transfer commitment to UConn on Tuesday.

Engram entered the transfer portal in January of 2023 while Luke Fickell and the new coaching staff were re-shaping the Badgers’ roster. He did not find a home for the 2023 season, but now lands at UConn for his final two years of eligibility.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker

The former three-star recruit began his Wisconsin career as a cornerback. He played in 13 games during his sophomore season in 2021, recording 20 tackles, 1 interception and 3 pass deflections. He was one of the more promising young cornerbacks on Jim Leonhard’s unit entering that offseason.

Then Wisconsin hired his father Bobby Engram to be its offensive coordinator — partially as a play to land top transfer quarterback Caleb Williams. That led to Dean Engram switching to wide receiver for that season. He recorded only 152 yards on 13 receptions and never became a focal point of the offense.

Of note, UConn listed him as a defensive back on its announcement. Engram will switch back to defensive back, where he should’ve stayed all along.

Engram now joins former Wisconsin wide receiver Skyler Bell with the Huskies, as Bell transferred there earlier this offseason.

Engram would have been an odd fit in Fickell’s new-look program. He would not have cracked the top group in a crowded wide receiver room, and would’ve been a longshot to win the starting slot corner job.

He joins a UConn program where opportunity should be available. The Huskies went 3-9 in 2023 after a program-best 6-7 2022 season. Engram and Bell will look to reverse the program’s recent on-field results.

For more on Wisconsin’s transfer portal activity this spring, check out our 2024 spring transfer portal window tracker.

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A Wisconsin WR/CB enters the transfer portal

A Wisconsin WR/CB enters the transfer portal

After three seasons as a member of the Badgers’ football team, Dean Engram announced Thursday that he is entering the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

Engram spent his first two years at Wisconsin playing cornerback while operating as a punt-return specialist. In 2022, he made the transition to wide receiver with his father, Bobby Engram, at offensive coordinator. The junior reeled in 13 catches for 152 yards while returning 24 punts for 132 yards over 13 games this season.

With Phil Longo replacing his dad as the offensive coordinator, it’s not particularly surprising that Engram has elected to potentially exit the program. Considering his experience on all three sides of the ball, Engram will likely be able to carve out a significant role at his next stop.

Who left Wisconsin football following the 2022 season?

A look at transfers, players leaving for the draft, and coaches who have moved on from Wisconsin football

This offseason has been filled with excitement for Badger fans as new head coach Luke Fickell has brought in a whole new staff and over a dozen players via the transfer portal.

With the addition of offensive coordinator Phil Longo and his “Air Raid” offense, Wisconsin has earned the commitments of three quarterbacks and four wide receivers, including C.J. Williams from USC, the highest rated WR in modern program history.

That being said, with everyone paying so much attention to those coming into the program, it’d be easy to lose track of the players that have decided to move on from the Badgers following the 2022 campaign.

Here’s where the departures have ended up:

 

Five Badgers with the most to prove for Wisconsin during fall camp

BadgersWire examines five players who, for various reasons, have the most to prove during fall camp:

Head coach Paul Chryst and the Wisconsin Badgers began fall camp last week, and with each new season, hope springs eternal.

After a disappointing 9-4 campaign that fell short of expectations, the Badgers enter 2022 as the preseason favorites to win the Big Ten West and return to Indianapolis after a two-year drought.

UW must replace 14 preferred starters from last season’s team and will have position battles throughout the roster. However, it has plenty of young and talented options who’ve patiently awaited their opportunity to make an impact.

Today, BadgersWire examines five players who, for various reasons, have the most to prove during fall camp:

A Wisconsin cornerback is changing positions

It’ll be a father-son combination on Wisconsin’s offense next season

With Bobby Engram coming to Wisconsin as the new Badger offensive coordinator, changes are already happening on offense.

Engram’s son, Dean, has been a Badger cornerback for the past three seasons and has played in 20 career games. He started five games at cornerback last season. With his father running the offense, the former Badger cornerback is switching over to wide receiver.

“It’s going to be special, especially having this opportunity to be with my son at the collegiate level,” Bobby said in Monday’s press release. “I’ve never coached Dean in football. I coached him in basketball and in baseball, but this is going to be a unique experience — once in a lifetime. We both want to be the best we can be to help the team win.”

 

 

Wisconsin’s Minnesota-week depth chart sees new No. 1 punt and kick returners

Wisconsin’s Minnesota-week depth chart sees new No. 1 punt and kick returners

The fireworks came early during Wisconsin’s 35-28 victory over Nebraska Saturday, as kick returner Stephan Bracey returned after tearing his quad a year ago and took the opening kickoff home for a touchdown.

Wisconsin had rotated kick returners after wide receiver Devin Chandler entered the transfer portal a few weeks ago. Bracey’s emergence gives the team a clear answer at the position—and a special teams threat the team hasn’t had since Aron Cruickshank returned kicks in 2019.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 12 — Wisconsin gets one step closer

Well, Bracey is unsurprisingly now listed as the No. 1 kick returner on Wisconsin’s depth chart. Along with that change, cornerback Dean Engram is now the team’s No. 1 punt returner.

Here is Wisconsin’s full Minnesota-week depth chart:

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WATCH: CB Dean Engram lays out for spectacular interception in Wisconsin spring practice

On Saturday, Wisconsin football held one of its last spring practices of the season. There was no shortage of big plays in today’s practi…

On Saturday, Wisconsin football held one of its last spring practices of the season. There was no shortage of big plays in today’s practice including a phenomenal interception of backup quarterback Chase Wolf by sophomore cornerback Dean Engram.

Related: 2021 NFL Draft Profile: Wisconsin CB Rachad Wildgoose

Although Engram did not start last season, he played in several 2020 games for the Badgers. The sophomore cornerback will likely battle for the nickel cornerback spot in fall camp.

In the clip courtesy of George Balekji and NBC 15 Madison, Engram plays behind wide receiver Jordan DiBenedetto then dives in front of him just as the ball arrived from Wolf to complete the interception. It is exciting to see Engram stepping up for Wisconsin in spring camp, especially after the early exit of former Wisconsin CB Rachad Wildgoose to the NFL.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

WATCH: Hype video from Wisconsin Football’s practice

This evening, Wisconsin Football’s Twitter account released a hype video featuring photos from today’s practice.

This evening, Wisconsin Football’s Twitter account released a hype video featuring photos from today’s practice.

The video highlights ‘pictures’ of several Badgers including Jack Coan, Jack Sanborn, Jon Dietzen, Kendric Pryor, Collin Wilder, Graham Mertz, and Jalen Berger. Even though the video mostly shows players doing drills, it does feature a nice catch from wide receiver A.J. Abbott over cornerback Dean Engram in the endzone.

Although Wisconsin may not yet be practicing in full pads, seeing photos from practice makes me extremely excited for the start of the season. Hopefully, there will be more clips and news from practice in the coming weeks to give a better idea of what the team will look like this season.