With fall camp in full swing and the season drawing ever closer, BadgerBlitz.com will break down the biggest X-factor at each position group for Wisconsin.

The term "X-factor" is thrown around with reckless abandon in sports discourse, so let's take a minute to operationally define it for our purposes. For this article, we're taking the term very literally — an X-factor is an unknown variable, a player whose performance this fall could fluctuate significantly. This isn't the most dynamic player at each position group, or even the most important. The following X-factors are players who have the biggest range between their ceiling and floor. Some players can be counted on to play at an All-Big Ten level, while some can be counted on to be seldom used. The X-factors are the players whose performance this fall is anyone's best guess.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Tyler Van Dyke

In a conference awash with transfer quarterbacks in line to start, Van Dyke is one of the biggest X-factors in the Big Ten if not the nation. His roller coaster-esque journey is well chronicled: a prototypical quarterback once with first round NFL Draft aspirations now clinging to one final chance following two disappointing seasons at Miami.

There's legitimate reasons for optimism in regards to a potential renaissance year for Van Dyke. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo's air raid system is comparable to that of Rhett Lashlee, the play-caller under whom Van Dyke had his best season. What's more, the quarterback was hampered by injuries during his final season in Coral Gables.

Still, questions remain about the level Van Dyke can play at for the Badgers. Wisconsin's starting quarterback in 2023, Tanner Mordecai, also played in a Lashlee-led offense, and that didn't lead to a particularly impressive year. There are some who believe Van Dyke has simply lost what magic he once had after throwing 17 interceptions over the past two seasons while only throwing six in 2021. The gunslinger is unquestionably the biggest X-factor on the team.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Darrion Dupree

It was tempting to go with Chez Mellusi here due to his extensive injury history. But when healthy, what Mellusi brings to the table is well-known at this point. He's a fast, elusive runner with wiggle in the open field. Dupree, meanwhile, has the talent to be the next great tailback that dons the Motion W.

Dupree wasted little time making an impact at fall camp. He's proving to be exactly as advertised: a versatile, dynamic back who can hurt you on the ground and through the air. He's a player that, as wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton told reporters, "When you put the ball in his hands, you can just tell something's about to happen." It would be unfathomable to see Dupree waste away on the bench even as a true freshman. His game-breaking ability coupled with a need for a third halfback to emerge makes him the biggest X-factor in the Badgers' backfield.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Bryson Green

You could make a strong argument for a lot of players in this room, but Wisconsin absolutely needs Green to take his game to another level this season, something the big-bodied receiver certainly has the ability to do but has yet to put on tape in Madison.

Green was just fine last year as the Badgers' second-leading receiver with 32 catches for 480 yards and two scores. However, he was unable to use his elite traits to become the difference maker that Wisconsin so desperately needed alongside Will Pauling.

His aforementioned elite traits include his big, physical frame, strength and jump-ball acumen. Green needs to utilize that inherent athletic ability this fall to develop into the boundary receiver the Badgers require.

At his best, Green is a physical, contested-catch guru capable of stretching defenses vertically. He didn't put that on display with any degree of consistency last season, and that's exactly what Wisconsin needs for its passing attack to take the next step.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Jackson McGohan

McGohan is the very definition of an X-factor. He's one of the biggest mysteries on the roster. It would come as little surprise to see him either as a seldom used gadget player, or a sneaky 20/25-catch playmaker that routinely creates schematic mismatches.

As a whole, this tight end room still doesn't look quite ready to be utilized exactly how Longo envisions. But McGohan is a step in that direction, as he's essentially a tight end/wide receiver hybrid with his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. He's probably the most natural pass-catching tight end in Nate Letton's room, while simultaneously the poorest blocker. It'll be fascinating to see what kind of playing time that unique combination of skills earns him come fall.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Joe Brunner

Since spring practice, the talk of the offensive line has been depth concerns. That's certainly a variable in and of itself, but the biggest individual X-factor is the redshirt sophomore Joe Brunner.

Brunner is essentially penciled in as a starter at guard, and he's easily the least experienced player in the starting five. Flanked by grizzled veterans, Brunner has played just 44 snaps in the offensive trenches, per Pro Football Focus.

Now, Brunner has looked the part in practice, and of course is a former top-75 recruit nationally. Still, until he starts a full game, it's difficult to evaluate how he'll perform.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Brandon Lane AND Elijah Hills

This was a relatively easy choice for the much-maligned Wisconsin defensive line. At this point, we're pretty familiar with what to expect from the likes of James Thompson Jr, Curt Neal, Ben Barten and Cade McDonald. Long story short? Nothing special. Could one of them feasibly take a big leap this season? It's not out of the question. But the two biggest unknowns in this room are easily the two FCS transfers, Lane and Hills.

Lane (Stephen F. Austin) and Hills (Albany) were both pursued by Power Four programs upon entering the transfer portal. Both have flashed in practice, especially Hills, who's simply been on campus for longer. But it remains to be seen what kind of production either player can offer up in the fall. With defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow planning on rotating players heavily this season, both will get a shot to contribute. How they perform is anyone's guess.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Aaron Witt

One could argue for either of the two headline-dominating transfers, John Pius or Leon Lowery. One could also retort, however, that through their play at practice, they've graduated from X-factor status — we know they'll be positive contributors this fall. The biggest question mark in the room is likely still the redshirt junior Witt.

Witt played in the ReliaQuest Bowl against LSU, but didn't play the previous two seasons due to injury. He got nicked up again in both spring and fall camp, but outside linebackers' coach Matt Mitchell told reporters it's a minor ailment and Wisconsin is simply being very cautious. Witt's injury history coupled with his lack of snaps in recent seasons makes him a huge X-factor on this team.

It's clear to see the 6-foot-6 edge rusher's potential, at least from a physical standpoint. Now, he simply needs to stay on the field. The Badgers plan on rotating outside linebackers at a much higher frequency than last season, and so having a 1A and 1B at both the JACK and SAM spots is of the utmost importance. Witt projects as a 1B, likely the fourth player in the room behind Pius, Lowery and Darryl Peterson.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Christian Alliegro

Alliegro's skillset as a long, fast inside backer who can fly from sideline to sideline is common knowledge. What remains unclear, however, is just how much he'll contribute to Wisconsin's defense in 2024.

As you'll notice is becoming a trend, the Badgers want to roll players in and out of the inside linebacker room to keep bodies fresh as well as for schematic reasons. Defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Mike Tressel said the most inside backers he's ever played regularly is four. The true sophomore should just crack that rotation behind Jake Chaney, Jaheim Thomas and Tackett Curtis.

Had Wisconsin not been as successful in the portal at inside linebacker, Alliegro could feasibly be in line to start this fall. He certainly has the talent, if not the experience. Still, Alliegro's role is unclear, thus making him the resident X-factor in this room.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Max Lofy

Though he missed the entirety of the 2023 season, Wisconsin's coaching staff appears to have a lot of faith in Lofy to be a significant piece of this defense. He currently projects as the starting nickel corner, and has had an excellent offseason to this point.

Lofy has been a slot specialist since he stepped on campus, but he's an X-factor because we simply haven't seen him suit up in over a year. Will he represent an upgrade over last season's starting nickelback, Jason Maitre? No one could tell you with any sort of certainty at this juncture.

BIGGEST X-FACTOR: Austin Brown

Brown played 346 snaps on defense last season as Wisconsin's third most-utilized safety. Still, he's never truly been a full-time starter, and he figures to get every chance to be just that in his junior year.

Brown is a big-bodied safety who has a wide range of experience alignment-wise. He's played in the box, in the back end and in the slot. That versatility, coupled with his extremely apparent athletic ability, looks like it could propel him to a career year this fall. Regardless, our sample size with Brown still just isn't large enough to definitively project his impact in 2024.

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