Madison — Wisconsin football game week is here, and with that comes the first two-deep depth chart of the season.

The initial two-deep featured some surprises and some affirmations. The Badgers will release a two-deep every week of the season, but as this is the first depth chart from the new regime ahead of the 2023 campaign, BadgerBlitz.com will break down every offensive and defensive player on the two-deep and analyze how Wisconsin will line up when Buffalo rolls into town on Sept. 2.

QUARTERBACK:

No.1 Tanner Mordecai — Mordecai has been the starter from the moment he stepped on campus. This spot was locked in since his transfer to Madison on Dec. 30. It's not due to a lack of competition, though — unlike previous years, Wisconsin has facilitated a competitive battle in the quarterback room all offseason. Mordecai has simply been the best of the bunch.

No. 2 Braedyn Locke — Locke would start at a lot of places around the country. For now, though, he's locked into the second-string spot at gunslinger, a spot he won largely with his football mind. Teammates and coaches alike rave about his football IQ, and while he's not the most physically gifted quarterback, he's got good touch and a penchant for layering the ball into tight windows. If Locke were pushed into a starting role this fall, he could feasibly operate the offense without too much drop off in production.

RUNNING BACK:

No.1 Braelon Allen — Allen began to receive some serious national/NFL attention this offseason, but he's still widely regarded as a top-5 back in the conference — opposed, of course, to the very best back in the Big Ten, which he absolutely has the chance to be. With the revamped passing game in Madison, the spotlight on him should be slightly dimmer in 2023. Still, he'll get the chance to refine his game (i.e. pass protection, receiving) in a dynamic offense as the pros will undoubtably beckon this spring.

No. 2 Chez Mellusi — Mellusi elected to run it back for his third season in Madison this fall, and why not? His elusive, slippery style is still a great compliment to Allen's bruising, north-south running. Now, he's in a brand new offense, one that promises to maximize his strengths. Mellusi has always been a very solid Robin to Allen's Batman, but now he's in a system that actually has the potential to maximize the production of both backs simultaneously.

WIDE RECEIVER:

No. 1 Bryson Green — That was quick, wasn't it? After barely participating in spring camp, with questions arising about how much he would contribute, Green wasted little time nabbing a starting spot in the fall. This spot was likely either him or CJ Williams, and Green's experience and physicality put him over the top.

No. 1 Chimere Dike — The fact that Dike was going to start was relatively well known since early in spring camp when the receiver consistently ran with the starters. Still, it's encouraging to see the senior hold on to his spot with the ones amid the influx of transfers and a new offense. Dike has shown a good rapport with Mordecai in practice, and anything less than a career year would be surprising from Wisconsin's captain.

Slot Will Pauling — One of the best things you can say about Pauling is that he plays a lot bigger than his 5-foo-10, 187 pound frame would suggest, all while possessing elite twitch and separation ability from the slot position. The wide out should be the favorite to lead the Badgers in receptions this season with how much offensive coordinator Phil Longo loves slot receivers.

No. 2 CJ Williams — Williams had a fantastic spring camp and was slightly quieter in the fall. Some of that was due to Green being available and cutting into his reps, but make no mistake — Williams will play a good amount this season. He's simply too talented to keep off the field. Once again, he would start at a lot of places around the country, and when was the last time that was true of a Badgers' second-string receiver?

No. 2 Keontez Lewis — Lewis emerged as the Badgers' best deep-ball threat last season, which admittedly isn't saying much. Regardless, the wide out has strong hands and an ability to make contested catches, traits which undoubtably helped him remain in the two-deep in his second year in Madison. He's been under-the-radar in Wisconsin's deep wide receiver room, but he's poised to be a regular contributor.

No. 2 Slot — Skyler Bell OR Vinny Anthony — This is mildly surprising. The narrative for much of the offseason surrounding the slot position was Pauling vs. Bell, but the sophomore Anthony has clearly done enough to impress the coaching staff and earn game reps. That's impressive for a guy who has zero career receptions. The "Or" here is less of a knock on Bell and more praise for the speedy Anthony.

TIGHT END

No. 1 Hayden Rucci — Wisconsin's tight end room was devastated this offseason, but the senior Rucci remains. After catching a touchdown in the bowl game against Oklahoma State, he's ready to expand his arsenal and become more of a receiving threat in 2023. Still, don't expect tight ends to be heavily featured as receivers in this offense.

No. 2 Tucker Ashcraft — What a turn of events for Ashcraft, who's been through a whirlwind over the past year. After being dropped from Colorado's recruiting class when Deion Sanders took over, Ashcraft committed to the Badgers and arrived on campus in the summer. Over the course of fall camp, he made several plays downfield as a receiver and was rewarded with a spot on the two-deep. He's one of a few freshman in Wisconsin's 2023 class that should actually see a significant amount of playing time.

LEFT TACKLE

No. 1 Jack Nelson — This is another position that wasn't really up for grabs. Nelson is probably the Badgers' best offensive lineman pound-for-pound, and he'll be Mordecai's blindside protector in what is more than likely his sendoff season as NFL teams begin to take notice.

No. 2 Nolan Rucci — The former five-star recruit cracks the two-deep here, and he'll likely see more snaps than the 28 he did last season. Still, they'll almost assuredly come in relief duty, as Nelson and the starting right tackle Riley Mahlman are locked into their spots and should only exit games in the event of a blowout.

LEFT GUARD

No. 1 Joe Huber — Huber is already proving to be a highly valuable addition to Wisconsin's offensive line as injuries have forced them to shake up their rotation up front. Huber can play guard and tackle, and will slide into the left guard spot that was likely Tanor Bortolini's before presumed starting center Jake Renfro went down with a foot injury.

No. 2 Joe Brunner — Brunner is another former blue-chip recruit waiting in the wings. He's repped with the second team for most of the offseason and looks ready to step up in a pinch if need be.

CENTER

No. 1 Tanor Bortolini — It gets interesting at center. Bortolini played center in the bowl game for the first time since the 2020 season. The Badgers would be in a really tough spot without him, but his versatility along the interior offensive line means that Wisconsin can trot out a very serviceable starting center who they hope to move to guard once Renfro gets healthy.

No. 2 Dylan Barrett — Barrett is the second-string center, but he's likely not the staff's second choice to play center. That would be Bortolini, but while Renfro is hurt, there will be some tinkering with the offensive front. Barrett was consistently the second-string center throughout camp.

RIGHT GUARD

No. 1 Michael Furtney — Furtney gets his chance here to redeem himself after a less-than-ideal 2022 season in which he was benched several times. The fifth-year senior has experience, and now the staff is looking for him to provide consistent play along the right side. Again, if Renfro wasn't hurt, there's a chance Huber and/or Bortolini would have this spot.

No. 2 JP Benzschawel — Benzschawel played the least snaps last season of anyone in Wisconsin's two-deep, but he's put together a solid offseason which has him positioned for some playing time. If Furtney struggles while Renfro is still hurt, Benzschawel could wind up breathing down the guard's neck for a starting spot.

RIGHT TACKLE

No. 1 Riley Mahlman — Mahlman is one of the most promising young(er) players on Wisconsin's offensive front. He had a great stretch run in the 2022 season, and that play has carried over enough for him to secure the starting right tackle spot. Between Mahlman and Nelson, Wisconsin's tackles look like the strength of their offensive line.

No. 2 Trey Wedig — Wedig played the fourth-most snaps along Wisconsin's offensive line last season. He's a versatile player who can play tackle or guard on either side, and he had some very strong games last season on the right side of the offensive line. He's a candidate to push for more playing time if a starter is underperforming.

DEFENSIVE END

No. 1 Rodas Johnson — Johnson is a big, powerful defensive end who has the potential to be a very disruptive force for Gregg Scruggs' defensive front. The defensive line will see some rotation, but Johnson looks like he'll be a fixture all season in his fifth year in Madison.

No. 1 James Thompson — This is a surprise, but not because Thompson hasn't played like a starter. It's quite the opposite, and he's my sneaky pick to lead the Badgers' defensive line in production. It's surprising because Isaiah Mullens was presumed to be in this spot, but he's injured himself once again and Luke Fickell told reporters Monday they're a week away from having an evaluation on a possible recovery timeline.

No. 2 Cade McDonald — McDonald has worked quietly in the shadows in his four seasons in Madison, and now appears ready for the most playing time of his career. He figures to rotate in for breathers and during garbage time.

No. 2 Darian Varner — Varner is perhaps the most intriguing defensive lineman on Wisconsin's roster: quality production at a smaller school last season, including eight sacks. But he's had a quiet offseason while dealing with an injury for most of the spring. There's not a lot of spots on the defensive line, but it's hard not to see Varner contributing this season with his pass rush acumen.

NOSE TACKLE

No. 1 Gio Paez — No surprises here. Paez has big shoes to fill in the wake of Keeanu Benton, but of all the starting defensive lineman he may get the least playing time — especially when Mike Tressel gets fancy with his defensive packages.

No. 2 Ben Barten — Barten likely won out here with his experience, but if he wants to see consistent playing time this fall he'll need to take his game to another level under Srcuggs' guidance. Last season, he played 89 snaps with as many tackles as missed tackles (two) and nothing in the way of quarterback pressure, according to Pro Football Focus.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

No. 1 Darryl Peterson — All signs point to a breakout year for Peterson, who's ready to be unleashed after recording a sack in each of the final three games of the 2022 campaign. He's patiently waited his turn behind a revolving door of talent on the edge — now it's his time.

No. 1 CJ Goetz — Staff and players alike have raved about Goetz' improved pass-rushing abilities this fall camp. He's always been a very solid run defender, but if he can add an element of quarterback pressure in-game, it'll be huge for Wisconsin's defense.

No. 2 Kaden Johnson — Johnson got more playing time than you might've noticed last season as Wisconsin's fourth outside linebacker. Aside from two games, he played at least 10 snaps in every contest and was consistently rotated in at the edge spot. Now, he's impressively beat out TJ Bollers for a spot on the two-deep, which is notable as Bollers has vastly improved this offseason.

No. 2 Jeff Pietrowski Jr. — Pietrowski was injured on and off this offseason, but it appears he's done enough to be a regular contributor in the staff's eyes. He only played three games last season, but in 2021 he was a force to be reckoned with off the edge with six sacks at Michigan State.

INSIDE LINEBACKER

No. 1 Maema Njongmeta — Njongmeta was good last season. Good enough to be placed on several preseason defensive watchlists and to be named as a team captain and ambassador to Indianapolis for Big Ten media days this offseason. But he was raw. Now, he's refined his game and should be one of the better linebackers in the conference, possibly the entire country, even if he has to wear a club on his right hand for a few games.

No. 1 Jordan Turner OR Jake Chaney — Tressel loves his top three players at inside linebacker, and the "Or" here is a testament to that. Both are good enough to be starters, and both should see plenty of snaps. This is also indicative of a fantastic job by Chaney to push Turner, who started last season, with everything he has.

No. 2 Tatum Grass — The fifth-year senior played behind Njongmeta, Turner and Chaney last season, logging 141 snaps as the fourth inside backer. That shouldn't change much this season, except Chaney figures to eat into more of Grass' snaps after being named a co-starter. Grass has experience and is a very solid player, but doesn't quite possess the same dynamic ability as the top three inside linebackers.

CORNERBACK

No. 1 Ricardo Hallman — A forgone conclusion. Hallman's Linsanity-esque spring was a flurry of interceptions, and it came to a fever pitch during 'The Launch' when he picked off three passes that afternoon. But more than the turnovers, Hallman's technique and positioning has improved drastically this offseason, and he's in line for a big season on the outside.

No. 1 Alexander Smith — Smith has been nothing short of lockdown this fall camp. He's excellent at staying on receivers' hips, and more often then not he blankets them for the incompletion. Smith has versatility — he can play in the slot if needed — but the Badgers would prefer to keep him outside and likely lined up against the opponent's most dangerous receiver.

Nickelback Jason Maitre — Maitre is a physical slot corner who rarely makes the same mistake twice. The sixth-year senior is a grizzled veteran who, quite frankly, the Badgers would be in serious trouble without. The depth at slot corner is dangerously thin, and Maitre's health will be key to the success of this secondary.

No. 2 Jonas Duclona — Have an offseason, Duclona. The true freshman enrolled early this spring, and it's paid massive dividends as he worked his way into the two-deep as a freshman. He's a highly competitive corner with all of the physical tools to one day blossom into an elite starter in Madison.

No. 2 Nyzier Forqurean — At seemingly the 11th hour, the Badgers flipped the then-Vanderbilt commit Forqurean to Wisconsin. A former D-II player from Grand Valley State, Forqurean has held his own in practice and appears ready for big time college football.

Nickelback No. 2 Owen Arnett — Arnett, still listed on the roster as a safety, is the staff's answer at the backup nickel spot for the time being. If Max Lofy was healthy, his name would likely be here instead. It'll be interesting to see how much Arnett plays as the staff juggles with his relative inexperience in the slot with a need to keep Maitre fresh and healthy.

STRONG SAFTEY

No. 1 Hunter Wohler — Wohler has superstar written all over him. He'll be the X-Factor on Tressel's defense, a versatile chess piece who can play just about anywhere. If he stays healthy, he'll be a household name by season's end.

No. 2 Austin Brown OR Preston Zachman — Both players have looked good this offseason. Brown is a sneaky candidate to take a major step forward this season, and Zachman has also quietly played very well this spring and fall. Once again, the "Or" here is a testament to how competitive these two have been for that backup safety spot.

FREE SAFETY

No. 1 Kamo'i Latu — If Latu can clean up some of his missed tackling issues, he'll be a force in the back end for Wisconsin this season. Latu comes at ball-carriers like a freight train and wants nothing more than to absolutely light them up. Last season, Latu was talented and powerful but raw. If he's refined his game this offseason, and this starting spot would indicate that he has, he'll be in the back of opposing receiver's minds all game when they work the middle of the field.

No. 2 Travian Blaylock — Blaylock is a backup here, but he should play quite a bit in Tressel's 2-3-6 package. He's another hard-hitter who has plenty of experience and is looking to stay healthy after missing the entirety of last year. For the sixth-year senior, this will be his sendoff season.

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