With the Wisconsin Badgers already starting to celebrate 100 years of Camp Randall Stadium this fall, BadgerBlitz.com decided to take a look back in to the past.
Jon McNamara, Jonathan Mills and I set out to draft the best team of current and former UW players - going all the way back to 2002, the start of the Rivals.com era.
Considering the recent success of Wisconsin football, we had plenty of great players to choose from. We ended up drafting 23 players each - a starter at each offensive and defensive position on the field and one kicker.
Our first four rounds of selections are included below.
Mills: The first player I'll snag is RB Melvin Gordon (2011-2014). A recipient of the Doak Walker Award in 2014, Gordon’s tenure as a Badger was one of the best. Gordon holds the highest NCAA Division I FBS average rushing yards per carry (7.79) and was the fastest player to reach 2,000 yards rushing. His single-season accolades and ability to pick apart defenses shows he is worth my first overall pick.
Veldhuis: With Gordon off the board, I have no choice but to take Russell Wilson with my first round pick. I know he only played one season for the Badgers, but he's easily the best quarterback they've had since the start of the Rivals.com era. It's the most important position on the field, and one where the Badgers haven't always had elite-level talent. I'm confident that starting my team off with one of the most efficient collegiate quarterbacks ever gives me a chance to have a dynamic offense with the depth at other positions the Badgers have had over the years.
McNamara: I would have gone with Russel Wilson had he been available - he's the best quarterback Wisconsin has had at the position during the Rivals.com era. But with him gone, I'm going with Joe Thomas at left tackle. The All-American will make sure the blindside of whomever I draft at quarterback is safe. And at a school known for producing offensive linemen, Thomas is the best to ever play the position for the Badgers.
McNamara: With my second round pick, I'll add another All-American to the other side of the ball by selecting J.J. Watt. The No. 11 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Watt is an excellent lineman to build my defense around.
Veldhuis: Wisconsin has produced a lot of top-tier offensive linemen in the Rivals.com era, and I wanted to make sure I grabbed one early to build my line around. With Joe Thomas already off the board, Frederick seemed to me like the next-best option. He's a three-time pro bowler since leaving for the NFL, and is now the anchor of one of the best offensive lines in the league.
Mills: As the quarterbacks slowly slip through the cracks, I’ll select Scott Tolzien to take charge of my offense. His completion percentage (68.1) in just two seasons as a Badger ranks second in school history. During the 2010 season, he brought home a Big Ten Championship and helped the Badgers get to Pasadena. His short time as a Badger is more than enough to use as a second pick.
Mills: My third pick is WR Jared Abbrederis. I will need a nifty receiver to provide Tolzien with scoring opportunities and there is little debate Wisconsin’s single-season reception leader can do just that. He is one of three Badgers to break the 1,000-yard receiving mark and boasts the second-best career total yards (3,140) in school history. Abbrederis raised many eyebrows as he transformed from a walk-on into a vital part of the Badger offense, thus I am fortunate to grab him early.
Veldhuis: It feels a bit like I'm getting the band back together a bit from that great 2011 team, but that goes to show how much talent was on that squad. Post-college career aside, Ball finished his collegiate career as one of the best running backs in team history. I couldn't pass that up, especially with Melvin Gordon off the board already. Plus, wouldn't you want to see what another team with Ball and Russell Wilson could do? I know I would.
McNamara: I won't have to worry about a quarterback or running back, so I'm going to focus on a position where Wisconsin hasn't produced a ton elite talent. With that, I'll with Jack Ikegwuonu, a freshman All-American in 2005 and all-Big Ten selection as a sophomore and junior. The former Madison Memorial standout is arguably the Badgers top corner of the Rivals.com era.
McNamara: With my next selection, I gave into temptation. How could you not pair the Watt brothers on the same (fantasy) defense? So I'll got T.J. Watt and solidify one of my outside linebacker spots. Watt received first team All-American honors by Sports Illustrated and second-team honors by the Associated Press for his play during the 2016 season and was a first-round draft pick in 2017.
Veldhuis: I need a defensive player to get the ball rolling, and Borland looked to me like one of the best players left. He was a nightmare for opposing offenses during his career with the Badgers, and would be a great double threat as a run stopper and pass rusher in a 3-4 defense at inside linebacker. Borland is one of those players who are just fun to watch when they're on the field.
Mills: My next pick will be LB Mike Taylor. He was a two-time All-Big Ten and ranked first on the team with 273 tackles in 2011/2012. Although injuries plagued his college and professional career, his defensive presence was felt by all. He will fit nicely in my defensive lineup.
