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 beginning March 22 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 wide receiver position for Wisconsin as it heads into spring practice.
Spring Wide Receiver Roster
A.J. Abbott (redshirt sophomore), Stephan Bracey (redshirt freshman), Danny Davis (senior), Jordan DiBenedetto (redshirt freshman), Chimere Dike (freshman), Jack Dunn (redshirt senior), Cade Green (redshirt junior), Mike Gregoire (redshirt sophomore), Adam Krumholz (redshirt senior), Taj Mustapha (redshirt sophomore), Cooper Nelson (redshirt freshman), Cam Phillips (redshirt freshman), Emmet Perry (redshirt junior), Kendric Pryor (redshirt senior)
What we know going into spring practice
It will be an important spring for both Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor as their roles will change as they head into their final seasons. Considering Pryor who has mostly played on the outside at the wide receiver position will likely now be relied on to play in the slot, which was played by A.J. Taylor a season ago.
Outside of those two consistently working on their games it will be an important spring for the Badgers to build quality depth behind Davis and Pryor. That responsibility will fall on first-year wide receiver coach Alvis Whitted who served as the Green Bay Packers wide receivers coach a season ago.
The likely top two wide receivers behind Davis and Pryor are a pair of redshirt seniors in Jack Dunn and Adam Krumholz. Dunn is slated to miss all of spring football due to a left leg injury. Krumholz has demonstrated to be a solid blocker for Wisconsin but he only has caught three passes in 31 career games.
Whitted will also need to continue with the development of A.J. Abbott and Taj Mustapha. Mustapha played in four games as a true freshman while maintaining his freshman eligibility but only appeared in one game a season ago. Abbott appeared in eight games a season ago as his action mostly came on special teams.
Chimere Dike who signed with Wisconsin as a part of the 2020 recruiting class elected to enroll early. Dike will get a head start in getting acclimated to college life and being able to create a new routine for himself. The biggest challenge for Dike is getting used to the speed of the college game and being able to learn from the mistakes he does make over the course of spring football.
What we hope to find out following spring practice
The progress of Abbott and Mustapha will be examined closely as the development of those two players could be the key to the success on whether or not the Badgers are able to consistently utilize four wide receivers this year.
Two other players who could have productive springs are a pair of redshirt freshmen in Stephan Bracey and Cam Phillips.
Bracey didn’t appear in a game a season ago but he did travel with the team for road games toward the end of the season. With the departure of Aron Cruickshank who transferred to Rutgers could Bracey take on a similar role that Cruickshank had in Wisconsin’s offense if he earns the trust of the coaches?
Phillips a walk-on held multiple scholarship offers including one from Wisconsin but he suffered a knee injury his senior year, which caused him to miss his entire season. The injury suffered by Phillips changed the course of his recruitment as the Badgers were able to land him as a walk-on.
Phillips was an early enrollee last year but because of his injury, he couldn’t compete during spring football. Phillips now healthy will look to show that his injury is behind him as he tries to earn playing time.
Wisconsin was able to utilize and rely on four wide receivers a season ago and if that’s the case again this coming season the Badgers will need Krumholz, Abbott, Mustapha or someone else to take the next step in their development. As the wide receivers will get plenty of reps during spring football as it will be up to them to take advantage and get better with each practice.