In USATODAY’s newly-released preseason All-America first and second team for the 2021 college football season, the Wisconsin Badgers were not given any praise.
We’ve seen the likes of Jack Sanborn, Jake Ferguson, Leo Chenal, Graham Mertz and others make some preseason All-Big Ten teams, but the jump to the national stage hasn’t come quite yet.
USATODAY’s All-America team did have one name to note, though, as they included former Wisconsin Badger Aron Cruickshank as the first-team kick returner.
Meet our 2021 preseason college football All-America team. https://t.co/ove6Y4fosh
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) August 11, 2021
Cruickshank caught four passes in two years with the Badgers, totaling 40 receiving yards. His biggest impact, though, came carrying the football and on special teams, as he finished his Badger career with 19 carries for 189 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns, averaged 24.6 yards-per-return and took two kicks back for touchdowns.
The former Badger then transferred to Rutgers where he continued his kick-returning dominance, averaging 26.8 yards-per-return and scoring another 2 special teams touchdowns.
We’ll see what Devin Chandler can do for the Badgers returning kicks this season, though he probably won’t top USATODAY’s first-team All-America returner.
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