Badger WR Preview

[Mark87]

Falling short of championship expectations in 2021, the University of Wisconsin looks to return to the top of the Big Ten West Division.

The Badgers will have some familiar faces on offense but will have some work to do to improve a unit that has averaged less than 26 points per game the last two seasons. Wisconsin’s defense was No.1 in the country last season in total yardage and against the run, but the Badgers must replace eight starters. UW also is dealing with changes to its special teams and has revamped its coaching staff.

All of it breathes excitement (and some nervous energy) leading into the season opener against FCS opponent Illinois State at Camp Randall Stadium (6 p.m./FS1).

With Wisconsin beginning fall camp later this month, we begin a position-by-position breakdown of the fall roster. We continue our analysis with the wide receivers.

Roster Overview​

Wisconsin’s wide receiver room received a makeover during the offseason. Starters Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor have graduated, along with sixth-year senior Jack Dunn. UW also saw three lesser-used players (A.J. Abbott, Devin Chandler, and Isaac Smith) hit the transfer market.
Their departures have opened the door for junior Chimere Dike (19, 272, 1) to grow into a bigger role within the offense. His experience will lead a receiver room that has UCLA transfer Keontez Lewis, 2021 signees Skyler Bell (1, 15, 0) and Markus Allen (3, 65, 0), and converted cornerback Dean Engram.
Fighting for playing time will be Stephan Bracey Jr. (one career reception), 2022 signees Vince Anthony, Chris Brooks Jr., Tommy McIntosh, and Cole Toennies, and walk-ons Haakon Anderson, Jordan DiBenedetto, Mike Gregoire, and Alex Moeller.

The Starting Lineup​

Not only did Davis, Pryor, and tight end Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin’s top three receivers) graduate, taking with them 16 years of college experience and a lot of production last season. That trio combined for 64.6 percent of the yards, 62.1 percent of the team’s catches, and eight of the 11 receiving touchdowns. The good news is there could be multiple options to rely on.

Dike was the No.3 receiver last year but averaged 14.3 yards per catch. During his true freshman season, Dike averaged 15.8 yards. During his high school career at Waukesha (Wis.) North, Dike had 206 receptions, 3,033 receiving yards, and 27 touchdowns. He worked in the slot throughout spring practices and produced to the point where position coach Alvis Whitted referred to him as a do-it-all Swiss Army knife.
“I love his football intelligence. I love his tenacity. He's going to find a way to get open,” Whitted said of Dike this spring. “He's going to find ways to get open and exploit the defense, and that's what you want a guy to do. But he also has size and understands the game enough, understands coverage, understands where the holes are. He knows how to get open.”
The rest of the lineup is unknown talent. After starting to emerge on the scene during bowl practices, Bell has showcased quickness and route-running ability during open spring practices to the point where he earned most of the No.2 reps. Just as important, Bell appeared to be a top option running the jet sweep. Whitted told the media that Bell’s strength and conditioning work has added to a solid understanding of the playbook, making the redshirt freshman a top option for early-season opportunities.
“He's become more fluid,” Whitted said of Bell. “He's become, again, more confident, attacking the ball. And he's just taking small steps and just finding ways to get better, and it's awesome.”
Likely to utilize a deeper rotation earlier in the season, Lewis and Engram should find opportunities. Lewis has proven to be a steady blocker at the college level, his primary role for UCLA last season. The 6-2, 194-pound sophomore played on 128 designed runs of his 207 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He didn’t record a catch last season, but Lewis has the second-most college snaps at receiver on UW’s roster behind only Dike and showed in spring that he has the speed to be a vertical threat.
“We’ve got a lot of young receivers, so I decided to bring my experience to the group,” Lewis said. “I can bring everything. I can take the top off, the short (routes), do whatever you need me to do.”
Engram, who finished the 2021 season at UW with a personal-best 20 tackles, three passes broken up, and an interception at cornerback, appeared to be settling in naturally at receiver. Showing a willingness to block and the smarts to get open, Engram has the speed control to run breaking routes, deep sprints, and jet sweeps.

The Reserves​

Allen appears on the cusp of making an impact in Whitted’s position rotation. A physical receiver who has the ability to run, Whitted stated near the end of spring practices that the second-year receiver continues to work through the playbook and the speed of the game and is "still trending in the right direction." Allen scored a pair of touchdowns against reserve defenders in two separate late spring workouts, a sign that Whitted’s comment is more than just lip service.
Bracey Jr. worked back into team 11-on-11 work during two practices in the fourth week of spring ball. However, he did not practice during the final week. Walk-on Anderson caught a few passes this spring as a reserve, most notably in the final practice.

The Position Will Be A Success If ...​

It’s all about the chemistry between a receiver and a quarterback. Dike and quarterback Graham Mertz have two years of throwing to each other, but most of the rest have only had a couple practices from this past spring. UW knows it has a talented player in Dike, but the rest of the receivers have a combined four catches (three from Allen, one from Bell). The Badgers need a handful of players to be competent pass catchers first before they can ask them to be big-play threats. Mertz struggled with interceptions when he had veteran receivers at his disposal that had a strong concept of route running, so the Badgers passing attack will need this young contingent to be fundamentally sound and be in the right place at the right time.
The Badgers will receive a good test to where this group is at in week two against Washington State, as the Cougars finished 47th nationally against the pass (216.8 yards per game) and tied for ninth in yards per completion (10.84).

Projected Depth Chart​

Projected Wide Receivers Depth Chart

Player	Year
Chimere Dike	Third year
Skyler Bell	Second year
Markus Allen	Second year
Keontez Lewis	Second year
Dean Engram	Fourth year
Stephan Bracey Jr.	Fourth year

 

[dannobanano]

A lot of “unknowns” at WR.
Sorta like the Packers

 

[GBP4EVER]

WR has always been a struggle to recurit. Hard to get kids in knowing this is a run heavy offense and that it's never going to be an air raid offense were kids can put up huge numbers to help them be a high draft pick.