Wisconsin WR Will Pauling: ‘We have so much depth in our [wide receiver] room’

Wisconsin star wideout Will Pauling is optimistic about the depth of talent in the Badgers’ wide receiver room entering 2024.

The former Cincinnati transfer expressed his excitement to Big Ten Network during its recent feature on the Badgers.

Related: Projecting Wisconsin Badgers two-deep depth chart heading into Week 4 of 2024 fall camp

“We got a lot of guys in our receiver room that are going to make a lot of plays for us this year,” Pauling said. “Guys like Bryson Green, big-bodied guys that can go up and make jump ball plays. And obviously you got guys on the side like myself, and a kid named Trech Kekahuna who I think is going to turn a lot of heads this year.”

The rising junior continued to applaud the group’s talent, focusing on those who are set to step forward after playing reserve roles in the room last season.

“From top to bottom, I just think we have so much depth in our room,” Pauling continued. “Like I said, it all goes back to that confidence. We got a lot of guys that were here last year that are going to only grow from what they did last year, and do some big things for us this year.”

"It all goes back to that confidence. We’ve got a lot of guys who were here last year who are only going to grow from what they did last year."@BadgerFootball WR Will Pauling tells us how the receiver room is looking this season👇#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/ubIyWIi7Du

— Wisconsin On BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) August 17, 2024

These comments notably come from Wisconsin’s unquestioned leader at the position. Pauling paced the team with 837 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2023, numbers that should only increase in 2024 with the Badgers offense set for a substantial improvement.

It is easy to see where his sentiment is coming from.

Wisconsin returns both him and Green, two of the team’s top options from 2023 who should both see increased targets with the offseason departures of Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell. They quietly form one of the better duos in the Big Ten entering the season.

Returning contributors also include C.J. Williams, Trech Kekahuna, Quincy Burroughs and Vinny Anthony — all players who are set for big steps forward after gaining valuable experience last season.

That group is then supplemented by transfers Joseph Griffin Jr. (Boston College) and Tyrell Henry (Michigan State), two players with proven production at the college level.

Phil Longo’s air raid offensive attack utilizes a collection of players at wide receiver. That is a significant separation from the program’s old pro-style attack, which would only see two or three receivers lead the room in snaps and targets.

Wisconsin could go seven or eight-deep at the position in 2024. According to Pauling, the receiver room is well-equipped to handle that workload.