Tag: jack nelson

Wisconsin starting tackle PFF’s highest-graded Big Ten lineman from Week 6

Wisconsin starting tackle PFF’s highest-graded Big Ten lineman from Week 6

Wisconsin left tackle Jack Nelson was ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded Big Ten offensive lineman from Week 6.

He earned an overall grade of 90.1 in the Badgers’ big 52-6 win over the Purdue Boilermakers.

Related: Wisconsin updated depth chart for Rutgers game sees true freshman running back enter two-deep

Nelson is a significant part of an offensive line that has been arguably Wisconsin’s biggest strength through its first five games of the 2024 season. The unit was solid in tough losses to Alabama and USC, then had an all-around dominant showing against Purdue.

Last Saturday saw the line lead the Badgers offense to 589 total yards (361 passing, 228 rushing), 28 first downs and seven touchdowns, all without allowing a sack.

PFF’s grades only confirm Nelson’s strong play leading the group. The redshirt senior is one of several on the line who have improved their performance in the second year under coordinator Phil Longo.

Nelson’s current form is great news for his chances at being selected in the upcoming NFL draft. The four-year starter has had ups and downs — with the rest of the Wisconsin offensive line. His trajectory on the blindside of a line that appears to be improving by the week could see him rise to an early day two selection.

First, he’ll need to continue his strong performance against a challenging remaining schedule. The Badgers first face a good Rutgers defense in Week 7, then have remaining games against top teams including Penn State (No. 6 in ESPN SP+), Iowa (No. 29), Oregon (No. 7) and Nebraska (No. 26).

Key No. 1 to Wisconsin succeeding against that schedule and extending its record bowl streak is continued strong play from Nelson and the offensive line.

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13 Wisconsin Badgers crack 2025 Senior Bowl watch list

13 Wisconsin Badgers crack 2025 Senior Bowl watch list

13 Wisconsin Badgers cracked the 2025 Senior Bowl watch list on Wednesday.

The 12th annual list includes 859 prospects from 180 programs across the country. The number usually dwindles to 110 players at the annual Feb. 1 contest in Mobile, Alabama, the home of the University of South Alabama.

On the offensive side, Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, wide receiver Will Pauling and running Chez Mellusi made the cut. Offensive linemen Jack Nelson, Joe Huber, Riley Mahlhan and Jake Renfro also represent UW’s offensive line on the list.

Defensively, linebacker Jaheim Thomas, outside linebacker John Pius, defensive lineman James Thompson Jr., defensive back RJ Delancy III, safety Hunter Wohler and cornerback Ricardo Hallman were listed as well.

Historically, the game format rosters its participants regionally into North and South teams. Since 2021, the bowl moved to American and National team designations with coaching staffs typically handpicked from two lower-ranked NFL teams.

Serving as somewhat of a post-season college football all-star bout, the Senior Bowl aims to showcase NFL Draft prospects who have finalized their college eligibility. NFL Network will broadcast the battle this winter.

Wisconsin football stars list Badgers potential breakout players for 2024 season

Wisconsin football stars list players Badger fans should monitor this season

Wisconsin football stars Jake Chaney, Jack Nelson and Hunter Wohler praised a handful of promising teammates during their Big Ten media day appearance on Tuesday.

During their select panel interview with Big Ten Network, the Wisconsin trio was asked about which incoming players UW fans would know by the end of the 2024 slate.

Right off the bat, Chaney listed former Arkansas linebacker Jaheim Thomas, USC transfer linebacker Tackett Curtis and former North Carolina linebacker Sebastian Cheeks as players who may break out this season. He later named sophomore Christian Alliegro, referring to him as “an athletic freak.”

Chaney also shared a truly genuine sentiment about his position group before explaining why each athlete works so well with UW.

“I could write a book about how much I love those guys and how good they are,” Chaney said.

Next, Nelson listed redshirt sophomore Joe Brunner as someone to monitor next season.

After playing 11 games in 2023 for Wisconsin’s special teams unit, Brunner is set to start at left guard.

Nelson on Brunner:

“He’s just somebody that’s awesome to play next to… He’s got a little bit of nastiness to him. I can appreciate that playing next to him, and I’m really excited to this season.”

Wohler cited young wide receiver Trech Kekahuna, who appeared in Wisconsin’s final five games as a true freshman in 2023. He caught four balls for 64 yards, his entire season output, against No. 13 LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

“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.

Wisconsin begins its 2024 campaign on Aug. 30 vs. Western Michigan at Camp Randall.

PHOTOS: Wisconsin Badgers at 2024 Big Ten media days

PHOTOS: Wisconsin Badgers at 2024 Big Ten media days

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell and select player representatives spoke to the assembled media at 2024 Big Ten media days on Tuesday.

Fickell was one of the first at the main podium. He conducted more of a press release than a press conference, as his opening statement took up 13 minutes of the available 15-minute time slot.

Related: Where Wisconsin lands in USA TODAY Sports 2024 Big Ten football preseason poll

He continued with a smaller, non-televised press conference before player representatives safety Hunter Wohler, left tackle Jack Nelson and linebacker Jake Chaney all took to the podium.

The media days event included news, including Wisconsin making player personnel director Max Stienecker the youngest general manager in the Power 4. It also included a large inflatable Oregon Duck mascot floating down the White River, plus more useful insight into what to expect when the Badgers take the field on Aug. 30 to kick off their 2024 season.

The event marks the beginning of true preseason preparation with the season now a little more than a month away.

Before the Badgers travel to UW-Platteville to conduct training camp, here is a look at Fickell and the team’s leaders representing the program at the new-look Big Ten media days:

Wisconsin football announces 2024 Big Ten media days representatives

Wisconsin football announces 2024 Big Ten media days representatives

Wisconsin football announced on Thursday that starting left tackle Jack Nelson, safety Hunter Wohler and inside linebacker Jake Chaney will represent the program at Big Ten media days later this month.

The Badgers will be heard from on July 23 during the three-day event. They will take the stage that day along with Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, Northwestern and Illinois.

Related: Ranking every wide receiver corps in the Big Ten Conference entering 2024 season

Nelson is entering his redshirt senior season in 2024 after joining the Wisconsin program as a five-star recruit in the class of 2020. He started 13 games at right guard in 2021, 12 games at left tackle in 2022 and 13 at left tackle in 2023. He is again the Badgers’ starting left tackle in 2024, leading an offensive line that is looking to improve in year two under offensive coordinator Phil Longo.

Wohler, meanwhile, enters his senior season in 2024. The star safety was the Badgers’ best defender in 2023 with 120 total tackles. He has contributed in every season with the program, and again profiles to be one of the sport’s better players this fall

Chaney, finally, is stepping into an increased role in 2024 after 2023 starting ILBs Maema Njongmeta (Cincinnati Bengals) and Jordan Turner (Michigan State) both moved on after last season. He is an ascending player and will be one of the integral pieces of what projects to be a strong defensive unit.

All three players are seniors or older, each joining the program during the Paul Chryst era.

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247Sports has high expectations for Wisconsin’s offensive line in 2024

What do you expect from Wisconsin’s offensive line in 2024?

247Sports national writer Cody Nagel thinks highly of Wisconsin’s offensive line entering 2024.

The Badgers’ unit came in at No. 4 in his recent ranking of Big Ten’s offensive line groups entering the upcoming season. It fell behind only No. 3 Penn State, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 1 Oregon.

Related: Predicting the best-case scenario for Wisconsin football’s 2024 season

Wisconsin enters the season with a starting group from left to right of Jack Nelson (left tackle), Joe Brunner (left guard), Jake Renfro (center), Joe Huber (right guard) and Riley Mahlman (right tackle).

Its ranking is interesting to note entering the season. On one hand, the Badgers’ unit has severely underperformed relative to expectations since the 2019 season. Some of those struggles were due to constant coaching changes and a stagnant offensive system. But Wisconsin’s time-old reputation of having the best offensive line in the sport just hasn’t been reality for the last four years.

But on the other hand, this group of five starters should take a significant step forward in 2024 in year two under offensive coordinator Phil Longo. 2023 was a significant adjustment period as Longo drastically altered the program’s offensive philosophy, going from a pro-style, under-center system to a spread-out air raid.

Wisconsin did lose an NFL-level center in Tanor Bortolini after the 2023 season. But Renfro is well-equipped to fill his vacancy. The group as a whole is a sure bet to at least improve upon its 2023 performance.

So a No. 4 ranking in the Big Ten entering the season is understandable given the context. Wisconsin has five above-average starters, with one or two who have the chance to be elite (Mahlman, Nelson). There is danger in blindly assuming Wisconsin’s offensive line will be top-notch. In this case, I’d bet on it paying off.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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Wisconsin omitted from PFF’s ranking of college football’s top offensive lines for 2024

Wisconsin omitted from PFF’s ranking of college football’s top offensive lines for 2024

The Wisconsin Badgers were omitted from ProFootballFocus’ ranking of the top offensive lines in college football entering the 2024 season.

The top 10 list instead comprised of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State, Missouri, Miami, Florida State and Florida.

Related: Where every Big Ten team ranks in ESPN’s 2024 College Football Power Index

This ranking comes after the Badgers also missed the service’s list of college football’s top wide receiver corps, quarterback rooms and running back duos.

Understandably, PFF isn’t high on the Badgers after consecutive 7-6 seasons.

But Wisconsin does enter the 2024 season with a combination of talent, experience and potential across its line. Its starting five from left-to-right projects to be Jack Nelson, Joe Brunner, Jake Renfro, Joe Huber and Riley Mahlman.

Nelson and Mahlman are multi-year starters and NFL hopefuls, Renfro and Huber each have high-level starting experience and Brunner enters as a highly-touted prospect.

ProFootballFocus did recently rank Riley Mahlman among the top 10 returning Big Ten offensive tackles. So the service is more doubtful of the rest of the Badgers’ line after several seasons below the program’s sky-high standard.

There isn’t much to argue. Wisconsin has not excelled along the line since 2019. Struggles and coaching changes at the position partially contributed to the end of the Paul Chryst era and eventual hire of Luke Fickell.

Now the program runs an air raid offense, which gives the line an almost entirely-new job description. There is a valid point to waiting to see top-end results from the team before assuming its offensive line play is back to the program standard.

I’d bet on a better adjustment in the second year of Phil Longo’s offense and on the overall talent in the room — especially among the starting unit. But many still have a wait-and-see approach when it comes to the position.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

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An updated look at Wisconsin football’s highest NIL player valuations

An updated look at Wisconsin football’s highest NIL player valuations

Wisconsin football returns to the field for spring practice in late March.

It is then that we’ll get a first glimpse at some of the Badgers’ newcomers, including former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, former Oklahoma running back Tawee Walker and former Arkansas linebacker Jaheim Thomas.

The spring period promises to be an active one after Wisconsin’s disappointing 7-6 campaign. Improvements are needed on both sides of the football as the program prepares to face one of the conference’s toughest schedules.

Related: Big Ten starting quarterback rankings for 2024

Before football itself returns, it’s time to check in on the latest name, image and likeness valuations for Wisconsin’s top players.

On3’s NIL valuation algorithm is based on four factors: on-field performance, social media influence, general exposure and data of existing NIL deals.

Below are On3’s top 10 NIL valuations on the 2024 Wisconsin Badgers:

(Remember, these are only valuations and not reported or confirmed NIL deals or numbers)

Wisconsin football gets massive offensive line news heading into next season

Wisconsin football gets massive offensive line news heading into next season

Wisconsin got massive offseason news for the offensive line as we head into 2024. On Wednesday, Wisconsin learned that offensive tackle Jack Nelson would be returning in 2024. There was a serious chance he would head to the NFL, but Nelson will be back in Madison next season. He appeared in all 12 games last season for the Badgers.

Nelson will be back to almost surely be Wisconsin’s starting left tackle in 2024. Throughout his Wisconsin career, the offensive lineman has appeared in 38 games with 37 of those appearances being starts.

The Badgers and Nelson have one more chance this season on New Year’s Day when they take on LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Wisconsin’s starting left tackle announces 2024 decision

Wisconsin’s starting left tackle announces 2024 decision

Wisconsin starting left tackle Jack Nelson announced today he’s forgoing the 2024 NFL Draft and returning to play for the Badgers next season.

The news is massive on many fronts. Nelson is a two-year starter, with 13 games at right guard in 2021 and 12 games so far in 2023 at left tackle. He’ll bring valuable experience back to a Badgers offense line that is set to lose several starters and is still working to adjust to the program’s new offensive system.

This move continues a crazy offseason of movement within a Wisconsin offense that, again, is still adjusting to life under OC Phil Longo. RB Braelon Allen and C Tanor Bortolini are off to the NFL, WRs Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell and OL Trey Wedig transferred out, RB Chez Mellusi and now Nelson are staying and QB Tyler Van Dyke, WR Tyrell Henry and TE Jackson McGohan are incoming portal additions.

Continuity is important for Fickell and Longo entering year two. Nelson’s return gives the line just that, as he also works to improve his stock entering the 2025 NFL Draft.