12/12/2019 football Edit

Three Badgers named Walter Camp first-team All-America selections

Jake Kocorowski • BadgerBlitz

Senior Writer

Senior Writer, BadgerBlitz.com -- part of the Rivals.com network; Co-Author, Walk-On This Way; Galatians 5:22-23

On top of two Badgers bringing home hardware in individual position awards, three Wisconsin players claimed first-team All-America selections by the Walter Camp Football Foundation on Thursday.

The foundation named running back Jonathan Taylor, center Tyler Biadasz and outside linebacker Zack Baun to that first-team distinction. Also on Thursday, Taylor won the 2019 Doak Walker Award which is given annually to the "nation's premier running back," while Biadasz heard his name called as the recipient of the 2019 Rimington Trophy, presented each year to the "most outstanding center."

Through 13 games this season, Taylor has rushed for 1,909 yards -- second in the nation -- while leading the FBS in total touchdowns (26). He also ranks fifth on the team in receptions with 24 for 209 yards on way to being named the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten running back of the year.

In his three-year career at UW, Taylor has accumulated 6,080 yards on 905 carries (6.7 yards per attempt) for 50 touchdowns. In 2018, he claimed unanimous first-team All-America honors.

Biadasz has started all 40 games in his UW career at center. In 2019, Wisconsin has rushed for 240.5 yards per contest, good for No. 15 in the nation heading into the team's Jan. 1 Rose Bowl matchup against No. 6 Oregon (4 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Perhaps the revelation of the 2019 season on defense, Baun currently leads the team in sacks (12.5) and tackles for loss (20.5) heading into bowl season. The Brown Deer, Wis., native also is tied for eighth in the nation in sacks per game (0.96) with Utah's Bradlee Anae and Baylor's James Lynch.

Baun ranks third on Wisconsin's defense in tackles with 71, just one behind inside linebackers Chris Orr and Jack Sanborn for top honors in that statistic. Along with 10 quarterback hurries and two pass break-ups, he returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown during UW's 38-0 win over Michigan State on Oct. 12.

All three Badgers claimed consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors last week.