Author: Ryan Wollersheim
MADISON – As a program devoted to the development and growth of its players, the Badgers have become known for taking often under-the-radar players and recruits and turning them into highly productive college and even NFL players. Recruits have taken notice as Wisconsin's recruiting classes have been on a strong upward trend with recruiting rankings increasing every year since 2018. This trend has culminated in one of the best recruiting classes in program history in the rankings era in 2021 which ranked No.16 nationally according to 247 Sports. This highly anticipated class of recruits now makeup the Badgers' true freshmen class who have just finished their first fall camp in Madison.
When asked in a press conference on Monday about which true freshmen may see the field this season, head coach Paul Chryst singled out three names – Hunter Wohler, Braelon Allen, and Markus Allen – as players who could be set to make an impact right away on special teams. Given time as the season progresses, these may be some of the young players that Badger fans will have a chance to see in the game sooner rather than later.
RB Braelon Allen
It's hard to remember the last time the Badgers brought in an in-state talent with as much hype and excitement as Braelon Allen. Already standing at 6 foot 2, 238 pounds as a true freshman, it's easy to see why given the elite traits Allen displayed in high school for a player of his size. Allen, a consensus four-star recruit from Fon du Lac high school located less than 100 miles from Camp Randall, was initially committed to the Badgers as a defensive player in the 2022 recruiting class. Allen played as a safety and linebacker throughout his high school career recording 48 tackles with six tackles for loss, four sacks, and three interceptions as a sophomore. During his final high school season, he worked a lot as a running back where he excelled with 71 carries for 1,039 yards – 14.6 yards per carry – and 23 total touchdowns. After reclassifying to the class of 2021 and enrolling this past June, Allen decided he wanted to try out primarily at running back. The final decision was up to coach Chryst who granted this request.
It is easy to be skeptical of this decision by Allen who has just one season of experience playing running back during Fon du Lac's alternate spring season brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year.
So, while it was initially hard for running backs coach Gary Brown to put much stock into Allen's high school film as a running back, it was the talent Allen showed on defense that brought Brown around to the idea of Allen as a running back.
“When I watched him on film, he was so much bigger, stronger, and faster than everyone in high school, it was like O.K., he's a great high school player. But what turned me was watching him on defense. Watching him move around. His ability to stop, start, change direction. Those are the types of things that running backs do. So, I said, well shoot, he's 235 now, once he gets running back training he may be, who knows, a special, special player” said Brown in early August.
Allen, who is still just 17-years-old, flashed what a special player he could be as he took reps with the second-team offense during fall camp. Allen also showed off his insane strength during the team's summer workouts, posting a 610-pound max squat and a 405-pound max power clean. These incredible numbers for such a young player were even enough for Allen to begin cashing in on the new NIL sponsorships offered to him as a college athlete. Allen recently signed an endorsement deal as a brand ambassador for Iron Joc Performance Gear.
When Brown was subsequently asked about what kind of immediate impact Allen can have as a true freshman, he indicated that the inexperienced back would have to earn his spot among a crowded running back room.
“I think he can play if given the situation is right. Obviously, I think as a freshman, we don't know, but I do think he has the skills to play. It's just a matter of going him out here in the fall and earning his spot. I'm looking forward to him doing that and I'm looking forward to seeing him develop,” said Brown.
It will surely take Allen more time as he continues to learn the ins and outs of the Badgers' playbook and develop as both a runner and pass blocker behind the offensive line – a process that can take even the most experienced backs time to cultivate.
How Allen will contribute as a true freshman remains to be seen as he could, theoretically, see time on either side of the ball. As mentioned by coach Chryst, Allen also stands to be a contributor on special teams. Either way, there's no doubt given his elite size and athleticism that Allen could begin making impact plays in no time. The only question will be just how the Wisconsin coaching staff finds ways to get the potential playmaker involved early on in his young and promising career.
S Hunter Wohler
Rated just ahead of Allen in 247's 2021 recruiting rankings, safety Hunter Wohler comes into Wisconsin as the No.2-ranked in-state recruit and the No.13-ranked safety in the class nationally. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, the Muskego product is recognized as one of the best in-state safety recruits in many years due to his unique combination of size and athleticism. If he were any bigger, Wohler would likely slot in more as a linebacker for his physicality and ability to play the run. However, his smart and instinctive play makes Wohler uniquely well-suited to play safety where he can make impact plays all over the field.
Wohler was recruited by other high profile and Big Ten programs such as Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Northwestern and Ohio State – a school Wohler was reportedly highly interested in before ultimately deciding to stay home and play for Wisconsin.
Wohler displayed impressive safety traits for a true freshman while working with the second-and third-team defense in fall camp. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has taken notice of how quickly Wohler has learned the defense and handled the heavy workload thrown at the young player early on in fall camp.
“I've been impressed. Physically: moves really well, smooth, great size. Going to get to the point of camp now where you show the physicality. He's had very few mental errors, it's just cleaning things up. We push a lot of different things early to see what they can handle knowing that it's going to continue to get tighter and easier for them. I like to see the way he's handled it and hopefully, we see him just continue to rise as camp goes on,” said Leonard when asked about Wohler's performance during fall camp in mid-August.
Wohler still obviously has much to learn as a true freshman especially when it comes to playing man-to-man coverage, something he wasn't asked to do while in high school. Given Wohler's already impressive skillset and natural ability at the safety position, he should continue to grow and become more comfortable as he works this part of his game in practice over the course of the season.
The Badgers current depth chart includes only the first-and second-team units for each position group with juniors John Torchio and Travian Blaylock set to contribute as the primary backups at the two safety spots. Below these two likely sit Wohler alongside redshirt freshman Preston Zachman who made the transition from linebacker to safety this past spring. The defensive side of the ball often requires players at multiple levels of the depth chart to step in during the many unique situations the Badgers may face over the course of a long season. Wohler's impressive athletic traits could put him in a position to contribute in various ways on defense. He could possibly step in as a hybrid linebacker-safety or in other situations where both size and speed are required such as long third downs and defensive back-heavy schemes. Look for Wohler to contribute throughout the season on special teams as well where this skill set can prove highly valuable in phases such as kickoffs and punts.
WR Markus Allen
Wide receiver Markus Allen is an example of the prolific recruiting inroads Wisconsin has made over the past few cycles, not only in Wisconsin but across their recruiting blueprint centered in the Midwest and Northeast. Allen was a standout player from Dayton, Ohio who caught 60 passes for 844 yards and 14 touchdowns over eight games en route to a first-team All-Ohio selection as a senior. He also caught 51 passes for 1,099 yards and 15 touchdowns during his junior season at Northmont high school.
Allen was rated as a high three-star by 247's recruiting rankings and as a four-star by fellow recruiting sites Rivals and ESPN. The Ohio standout was recruited by a long list of programs and was initially committed to joining Big Ten rival Michigan before de-committing in September of 2020. Allen then committed to the Badgers in early November of that year despite some late interest from the likes of Ohio State. Allen's high ranking made him Wisconsin's highest-rated wide receiver since the former state of Ohio recruit and current starting receiver Danny Davis III in the class of 2017.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds coming out of high school, Allen's size and ability to go up and make contested catches is what set him apart as a receiver. He also uses this large frame and his speed well to create separation from defenders. Since coming into the program, Allen is now listed at 215 pounds which should only help him stand up to the increased physicality at the college level.
Allen and fellow 2021 recruit Skyler Bell have wide receiver coach Alvis Whitted excited about what the two can bring to the table this fall as a part of his first recruiting class at Wisconsin.
“They're truly here for the reason I recruited them for: they're hungry kids. They want the opportunity. They want to compete. Physically, I'm excited about their size and skill set … This has been great, this time that we've had together, with them coming in early and really getting immersed into the offense and learning. Just kind of seeing how they learn and where they fit. We have a good plan for how we're going to implement them in the offense …,” said Whitted in early August.
Whitted also mentioned how he wanted to use fall camp as a time for some of the Badger's older veterans to help bring along the team's many young receivers. So far, redshirt senior Dany Davis III is also excited about what he's seen from Allen, redshirt freshman Devin Chandler and redshirt junior AJ Abbot during fall camp.
“Just taking those guys under our wing. Showing them the ropes and showing them what to expect things like that. All camp they did a great job of making plays and have shown they can make those plays as well. Just giving them the confidence and respect they need in order to go out and there and make big plays. Those are probably the top three guys other than the main group that we have” said Davis while talking about Chandler, Abbot and Allen at the end of fall camp.
This development has been very important for this young and promising group which, outside of the four receivers listed in the two-deep, is largely inexperienced. It's easy to see how any three of these players could see legitimate playing time as the depth at the position becomes more and more important during the long and grueling Big Ten season. The Badgers coaching staff has always found ways to get young and gifted playmakers involved in a variety of creative ways with plays like screen passes and jet sweeps. Look for even more plays such as these with Chryst once again taking over responsibility as the offensive play-caller this season.
