Tag: Michael Furtney

Two Wisconsin football alumni attend Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp

Two Wisconsin football alumni attend Green Bay Packers rookie minicamp

Former Wisconsin football alumni Peter Bowden and Michael Furtney attended the Green Bay Packers’ 2024 rookie minicamp per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

Bowden, who played long snapper for UW from 2018-2023, played in all 13 for Wisconsin in 2023 and was named a Patrick Mannelly Award finalist. He also helped K Nathanial Vakos earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors with 15 makes on 19 field goal tries.

After the NFL draft last month, the Packers signed the decorated long snapper as an undrafted free agent. He’s expected to compete for the starting job in 2024.

Furtney, on the other hand, is a roster longshot. He was one of the numerous rookies to receive a tryout invitation to minicamp.

The offensive lineman is fresh off playing all 13 of the Badgers’ contests in 2023, starting nine at right guard. As a starter, he allowed just four pressures over 191 passing snaps, per PFF. Furtney’s 56 games rank fourth all-time in Wisconsin’s history, and he was named Academic All-Big Ten from 2019-2023. He started 22 of his final 26 games representing the scarlet and red.

Pair of former Wisconsin football players secure NFL minicamp invites

Pair of former Wisconsin football players secure NFL mini camp invites

The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone and a pair of undrafted former Wisconsin Badgers football players secured rookie minicamp invitations this week.

Offensive lineman Michael Furtney was invited to both the Bills and Packers’ rookie mini camps, while safety Travian Blaylock was invited to join the Bears at their rookie minicamp.

Furtney spent the final two years of his five campaigns in Madison operating as the team’s starting right guard while he finished his UW career having played in 56 total contests, which ranks fourth all-time in program history. He’ll now get a chance to prove himself in a pair of camps ahead of the 2024 NFL season.

Blaylock wrapped up a four-year Wisconsin tenure this past season, playing in all 13 games, recording seven total tackles and pass breakup during the 2023 campaign. He is the son of former Chiefs and Jets running back Derrick Blaylock (2001-2007) and he’ll look to carve out his own NFL career.

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A Wisconsin offensive lineman enters the transfer portal

A Badger OL is in the portal

A flurry of transfer news came in on Monday morning, including a Wisconsin offensive lineman announcing his decision to transfer.

Senior offensive lineman Michael Furtney will take his remaining year of eligibility elsewhere per his Instagram.

“Wisconsin truly has some of the best fans in college football. Through it all, you have always supported Badger football,” said Furtney in his farewell message to Badger nation.

The Michigan native was a three-time All-Academic Big Ten selection and he started at right guard for the majority of the 2022 season. Here is a look at his full goodbye message from his Instagram account:

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5 Wisconsin Badgers named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist

Keeanu Benton and Chez Mellusi headline a list of five Badgers selected to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist:

The 10th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List for the upcoming season was announced on Wednesday.

Their scouting department’s first publication of said list includes 484 position players, all of which are 2018 high school graduates or true fourth-year seniors at their respective programs.

Last season, seven Badgers were named to the Senior Bowl Watchlist; however, tight end Jake Ferguson, now a member of the Dallas Cowboys, was Wisconsin’s lone representative in the aforementioned Senior Bowl.

This year, the University of Wisconsin had five players named to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List for the upcoming season; let’s take a look at who they are:

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:

Wisconsin Spring Position Preview: Offensive Line

Taking a closer look at Wisconsin’s offensive line as they prepare to begin spring practice.

Spring football allows for head coach Paul Chryst to not have to worry about preparing for a game. Instead, it allows him to teach the game of football and continue to develop the players on Wisconsin’s roster as they prepare for the 2020 season. Chryst will have 15 practices to help his team improve and build on what they accomplished during the 2019 season.

In this Badgers Wire feature, we will break down the offensive line position for Wisconsin as it heads into spring practice.

Spring Offensive Line Roster

Dylan Barrett (freshman), Tyler Beach (redshirt junior), Logan Brown (redshirt freshman), Logan Bruss (redshirt junior), Michael Furtney (redshirt sophomore), Kayden Lyles (redshirt junior), Andrew Lyons (redshirt sophomore), Jack Nelson (freshman), Logan O’Brien (redshirt freshman), Cormac Sampson (redshirt sophomore), Josh Seltzner (redshirt junior), Blake Smithback (redshirt junior), Joe Tippmann (redshirt freshman), Cole Van Lanen (redshirt senior), and Aaron Vopal (redshirt junior)

What we know going into spring practice

This will be an important spring for Wisconsin’s offensive line as they will need to replace three starters as Jason Erdmann and David Moorman both have exhausted their eligibility and Rimington Award winner, Tyler Biadasz declared early for the NFL draft.

Wisconsin has options to replace Erdmann and Moorman at guard as the big one will be who replaces Biadasz at center?

One player who is expected to compete for the starting center position is Kayden Lyles but he will miss all of spring football because of an injury to his left and right leg.

No one was going to win the starting center position coming out of spring football but it does put Lyles behind. Lyles started four games at left guard a season ago and although the Badgers do a good job of cross-training their offensive lineman Lyles hasn’t played center in a game for Wisconsin.

With Lyles out for spring football it will allow for someone else to demonstrate their capabilities. That player could be Cormac Sampson who played tight end a season ago out of necessity or Michael Furtney.

Sampson came to Wisconsin as an athlete as he was projected to play either on the offensive line or defensive line for the Badgers. Sampson entering last season was listed as an offensive lineman but when injuries struck the tight end position they moved him over there as he played it in high school and he became an integral part of the Badgers offense as a blocking tight end.

Furtney appeared in all 14 games a season ago but his action mostly came on special teams. Furtney is also capable of play guard and he could ultimately win one of the guard positions but he could also receive a look at center to see what he’s capable of doing there.

What we hope to find out following spring practice

Spring practice will serve as offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Joe Rudolph’s first chance of trying different combinations along the offensive line to see who his best starting five are.

Wisconsin returns Cole Van Lanen and Logan Bruss who started at left and right tackle respectively a season ago and both will be starters again. Bruss has the flexibility to play guard as well too, which could open the door for a player like Tyler Beach or Logan Brown.

Brown a highly touted offensive lineman dealt with injuries a season ago but the former All-American is healthy now and it will be interesting to see how quickly he can shake off the rust. If he shows he’s capable and with Bruss’s flexibility those two could man the right side of the offensive line.

Josh Seltzner could ultimately win one of the guard positions as he started four games at right guard a season ago as the coaches are high on the former walk-on.

Wisconsin also had two of their offensive lineman from the 2020 recruiting class enroll early in Dylan Barrett and Jack Nelson. Barrett will compete for one of the guard positions and Nelson who participated in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio will compete with the tackles.

Although Rudolph will be missing Lyles over spring practice he’ll still get a good start to see who his best five offensive linemen are. He has two good starting pieces in Van Lanen and Bruss and thanks to Bruss’s versatility gives him options, which will allow him to narrow down the possible combinations once Wisconsin enters fall camp.