Tag: Xavier Lucas

BREAKING: Wisconsin star freshman cornerback enters NCAA transfer portal

Stunning news for the Badgers

Wisconsin true freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Thursday.

His departure is the most stunning of the cycle to date. He is the 21st Wisconsin scholarship player to depart and arguably possibly the most impactful. The breakout freshman enters with three years of eligibility remaining.

Related: Wisconsin football 2024 transfer portal departure tracker

Lucas joined the Badgers as a four-star recruit in the class of 2024, ranked as the No. 372 player in the country, No. 35 safety and No. 52 recruit from the state of Florida. He chose the program over offers from top programs including Alabama, Miami, Auburn, Florida State, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Lucas then emerged as a rising star immediately upon arriving on campus. He earned a spot on the two-deep to start the season and went on to play a primary role throughout. He closed the year with 12 games played, 18 tackles (12 solo), two tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and two pass deflections.

Notably, Lucas is the sixth player from Wisconsin’s cornerback room to enter the transfer portal. The group’s depth has been decimated in that time, as most departures were top recruits from the program’s 2023 and 2024 classes.

Lucas’ departure matters more than most others given his inside track at a starting job in 2025 and for the years to follow.

Wisconsin now must add starting cornerback to its list of roster needs. The program’s only players at the position entering 2025, as of Dec. 19, are senior Ricardo Hallman, redshirt freshmen Jay Harper and Omilio Agard, and true freshmen Jaimier Scott, Cairo Skanes and Jahmare Washington.

For more on the now-former Badgers in the transfer portal and where they end up, bookmark our 2024 transfer portal departure tracker.

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Wisconsin cornerback among PFF’s best true freshman of 2024 season

Wisconsin cornerback among PFF’s best true freshman of 2024 season

Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas continues to grade well in the eyes of ProFootballFocus.

The standout true freshman has an overall grade of 80.7 through seven weeks of action, good for sixth among all true freshmen in the Power Four.

Related: Ranking the biggest storylines entering Wisconsin’s premier matchup with Penn State

Lucas has battled minor injuries throughout the season, though has been mostly available for Mike Tressel’s secondary. He has recorded nine total tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and two pass deflections in that time.

Raw statistics are often misleading when evaluating cornerbacks, however, as those who are thrown toward less are usually the ones who are best in coverage. For example, Wisconsin star CB Ricardo Hallman barely has any counting statistics this season (nine tackles, four pass deflections), but he’s playing like one of the best corners in the country.

Lucas is certainly playing up to that caliber.

He trails only Oklahoma‘s Eli Bowen (81.4), Louisville’s Isaac Brown (81.6), Ohio State‘s Jeremiah Smith (82.4), Texas‘ Colin Simmons (86.4) and Minnesota’s Koi Perich (91.1) on PFF’s latest list of the true freshmen in the sport:

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1849437436402683981

Lucas’ status for Wisconsin’s Saturday night showdown with No. 3 Penn State is somewhat up in the air. He left the Badgers’ win over Northwestern last weekend and did not return. There has since been no material update on his availability for Saturday.

His status will be worth monitoring as kickoff nears for a season-defining opportunity for Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin Badgers.

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Wisconsin true freshman cornerback continues strong start to 2024 season

Wisconsin true freshman cornerback continues strong start to 2024 season

Wisconsin true freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas was ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded true freshman cornerback from Week 6 in college football.

His strong afternoon in the Badgers’ 52-6 blowout win over Rutgers only continues what has been an impressive start to his college career.

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

Lucas joined the Badgers this offseason as a four-star recruit in the class of 2024. He was ranked as only the No. 372 player in the class, No. 35 safety and No. 52 recruit from his home state of Florida.

It is safe to say he is already surpassing those rankings.

Lucas has played a significant role in a Wisconsin secondary that has been a strength of the team through five games. Individually, he has five tackles, a pass deflection and an interception in that time. His performance against Purdue included one tackle and that pass deflection.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1843405188369178689

Fewer statistics are often a good sign for a cornerback. That means the ball is thrown their way less frequently, which means the player is doing well in coverage. Wisconsin star cornerback Ricardo Hallman has only seven tackles and two pass deflections this season, for example. Those numbers are low because teams don’t throw him the football.

Lucas’ ascension to a primary role on the Badgers defense is overly impressive given his age and lack of experience. His strong play has backed up that significant role. His play should also only improve as he spends more time in Luke Fickell and Mike Tressel’s defensive system.

I’d bet it’s hard to find a true freshman cornerback who has been more impressive through the first five games of the young season.

Lucas and the Wisconsin secondary will continue to be tested coming up with games against top offenses including Penn State (No. 12 offense in ESPN SP+) and Oregon (No. 5).

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Wisconsin cornerback among PFF’s highest-graded true freshmen entering Week 4

Wisconsin cornerback among PFF’s highest graded true freshmen in 2024

Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas is ranked No. 8 among ProFootballFocus’ highest-graded true freshmen through the first three weeks of the 2024 season.

The Pompano Beach, Florida, native was sandwiched between Texas linebacker Colin Simmons and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith with an overall grade of 79.9. Texas wide receiver Ryan Wingo took the top spot with a 90.6 mark, followed by South Carolina’s superstar edge Dylan Stewart at 85.9.

Outside of OSU’s Smith, other Big Ten notables include Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr., Washington tight end Decker Degraaf and Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Through three games, Lucas owns the only takeaway by Wisconsin’s defensive unit after intercepting Western Michigan quarterback Kaleb Eleby in garbage time of Week 1. He also registered two tackles in the contest.

The true freshman then suffered a minor injury during the Badgers’ second game of the season against South Dakota, though he returned for the Badgers’ 42-10 loss to No. 4 Alabama on Sept. 14.

Nonetheless, Lucas has firmly cemented himself as a valuable piece in defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s secondary. While veteran Nyzier Fourqurean will continue to take lead snaps alongside star corner Ricardo Hallman, Lucas will certainly be in the mix down the line.

Wisconsin leaves two key players off pregame injury report vs. Alabama

Wisconsin two key players off pregame injury report vs. Alabama

Wisconsin key playmakers RB Tawee Walker and CB Xavier Lucas are off the pregame injury report for the Badgers’ marquee matchup against No. 4 Alabama.

Walker missed Wisconsin’s 27-13 Week 2 win due to an injury, while Lucas suffered a minor injury during the contest. Both appear good to go for Week 3 vs. the Crimson Tide.

Related: 10 keys to Wisconsin Badgers pulling a program-defining upset against Alabama

Walker’s return to the backfield is big news, though the Badgers did well in his absence with the combination of senior Chez Mellusi (16 carries, 60 yards, 2 touchdowns) and redshirt sophomore Cade Yacamelli (8 carries, 73 yards). The Oklahoma transfer will likely return to leading the Badgers’ rushing attack against a strong Alabama defense.

Lucas, meanwhile, will get to continue his breakout as only a true freshman. He is the only player on Wisconsin’s roster to record an interception through two weeks. His return to the lineup adds much-needed depth as the Badgers attempt to corral an explosive Alabama passing attack.

Those on the pregame status report include starting tight end Riley Nowakowski and depth offensive lineman Barrett Nelson, both listed as questionable.

Wisconsin and Alabama are set for a noon ET, 11 a.m. CT kickoff on Fox.

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Luke Fickell gives update on RB Tawee Walker, CB Xavier Lucas for Week 3 vs. Alabama

Luke Fickell gives update on RB Tawee Walker, CB Xavier Lucas for Week 3 vs. Alabama

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell offered no update on running back Tawee Walker and safety Xavier Lucas’ ability entering the Badgers Week 3 game vs. Alabama.

Walker, who rushed for 15 rushes for 66 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 vs. Western Michigan, missed the entirety of Wisconsin’s Week 2 bout vs. South Dakota.

True freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas, responsible for two total tackles (one solo) and an interception against the Broncos during UW’s opening contest, left the South Dakota game early after colliding with a concrete barrier following a pass-defending sequence.

Nonetheless, head coach Luke Fickell remains optimistic ahead of UW’s most significant game of the season against the No. 4 Crimson Tide.

“I’m hopeful and I would expect that everybody’s able to play, but we’ll have to push that as we get going during the week,” Fickell told reporters on Monday.

https://twitter.com/Evan_Flood/status/1833192752256794768

Ideally, both dynamic playmakers will lace up for the Badgers on Saturday. While UW’s running back committee of Cade Yacamelli, Chez Mellusi, Darrion Dupree and Jackson Acker performed well against South Dakota, Wisconsin will need all of its the playmakers to compete with one of college football’s best programs.

One-on-one interview with Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas after breakout Week 1

One-on-one interview with Wisconsin CB Xavier Lucas after Week 1

The Wisconsin Badgers football team knocked off Western Michigan 28-14 in their season opener Friday and freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas provided quite the highlight play.

Lucas finished the contest with two total tackles (one solo) and an interception, which he secured to put the game on ice with less than two minutes remaining.

https://twitter.com/dkysportswisco/status/1830551120659222611

The cornerback was kind enough to give us a couple minutes of his time at the program’s weekly media availability, diving into what it means for him to get an opportunity to play as a true freshman.

“I can’t explain how much I appreciate them (coaching staff). Not everybody gets the opportunity, but when it comes, you have to maximize it,” Lucas explained.

The Badgers will now gear up to face South Dakota (1-0) at home Saturday before they’ll host Alabama on Sept. 14. Lucas knows how important it is to take it one game at a time.

“We have got to stay in the now. We’ll get to next week when it comes. We go day by day, take it as it comes. We’re focusing on executing our game plan for this week to come out victorious,” Lucas outlined.

Operating alongside the likes of Ricardo Hallman and Nyzier Fourqurean at cornerback in Wisconsin’s secondary, Lucas will look to emerge as another playmaker with the Badgers in 2024.

For the full interview with the talented freshman, click here.

WATCH: Wisconsin true freshman CB Xavier Lucas’ interception seals win over Western Michigan

This was one of the highlights from Friday night’s win:

Wisconsin did not have a large collection of highlights from its 28-14 Week 1 win over Western Michigan.

The team was down 14-13 early in the fourth quarter, and it took a Western Michigan fumbled punt to shift momentum to the Badgers. The final 10 minutes of action, then, became the only true highlight from the contest.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s 28-14 Week 1 win over Western Michigan

One play of note came with Wisconsin leading 28-14 with 1:54 remaining. The game was decided, but the Badgers had a final highlight moment.

The play: Western Michigan faced a 4th and 14 from the Badgers 42-yard-line. Broncos QB Hayden Wolff rolled out left and tried to sneak the football to his receiver on the sideline.

Waiting to make an acrobatic interception: Wisconsin true freshman cornerback Xavier Lucas.

 

Lucas finished the game with two tackles and that one interception in limited action.

This impressive development comes after the cornerback was one of the stories from the Badgers fall camp. The four-star recruit made an impression strong enough to make the team’s Week 1 two-deep depth chart.

His game action late gave a glimpse at a bright future with the program. On a night when star cornerback Ricardo Hallman was not targeted once, Lucas’ big-time interception is even more notable. He appears to have too much talent to leave on the bench during meaningful moments this season.

Lucas will look to build on the performance when Wisconsin faces South Dakota next Saturday. It will be a final warmup for the Badgers before No. 5 Alabama visits Madison the following weekend.

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American Heritage gets a pick-six from Xavier Lucas in a solid win

Three-star Xavier Lucas came up with a big play for American Heritage on Friday night.

American Heritage is back on track, securing two wins in a row in what was a complementary performance this weekend.

No. 20 American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) put together a solid 28-14 win on Friday night over Western (Davie, Florida). It wasn’t a dominant performance performance from American Heritage, who are now 4-1 on the season, but they were solid on both sides of the ball and did enough to churn out the win.

The big play from American Heritage came late in the third quarter as Xavier Lucas had a tremendous reaction to secure this interception and return it for a touchdown.

The score gave American Heritage a 14-7 lead in a game that was tighter than anticipated.

 

Lucas is three-star recruit who holds offers from Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Florida State, Kentucky Louisville and Miami among others. In the 247 Sports Composite, he is the No. 80 safety prospect in the nation.

This week, American Heritage moved up one spot in the USA TODAY HSS Super Top 25 following a 48-7 win over Cardinal Gibbons last Friday (Fort Lauderdale, Florida).

BREAKING: Wisconsin receives commitment from a 2024 safety

Wisconsin lands the 21st player in the class of 2024:

Wisconsin landed a commitment from class of 2024 three-star safety Xavier Lucas earlier today. He is the program’s No. 21 player in the class of 2024, a group that ranks within the top 25 nationally.

Lucas is 247Sports’ No. 773 player in the class, No. 82 safety and No. 108 recruit from his home state of Florida. Wisconsin landed him over other top contenders Iowa and Florida State.

Related: How Wisconsin football reacted to Oregon and Washington joining the Big Ten

The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native is the No. 3 safety in the class along with three-star Raphael Dunn and three-star Kahmir Prescott, and the No. 5 defensive back overall. The secondary is a clear point of emphasis for Head Coach Luke Fickell after his best commitments in the shortened class of 2023 were mostly cornerbacks.

While Lucas is not a four-star recruit on 247Sports, Wisconsin’s Blue Chip Ratio in the class still sits at 33.3%. A top-25 effort is impressive in Fickell’s first year, and points towards a higher ceiling moving forward.