Key Wisconsin Badgers 2020: No. 14 - Outside linebacker Izayah Green-May

Wisconsin's 2020 football season is (hopefully) right around the corner, so BadgerBlitz.com ranked the Top 25 players who we think will be the keys to success for Paul Chryst's squad this year.

Playing time, past performance and positional depth all factored into our staff rankings.

Izayah Green-May was highly-coveted target for Wisconsin during the course of his recruitment. A three-star prospect, Green-May chose the Badgers over offers from Michigan State, Syracuse, Illinois, Iowa State and Minnesota, among others.

At UW, Green-May has found playing time over the last two seasons but has yet to gain much traction in terms of a consistent role on the defense. In 2018, he played in six games and recorded one tackle, but most of those reps were late in contests that were already strongly in Wisconsin's favor.

Last fall, Green-May was in line to start opposite Zack Baun at outside linebacker after a strong fall camp, but he was hindered by a thumb injury and never regained his footing. Instead, Noah Burks took over with the No. 1 defense alongside Baun.

Green-May came into UW weighing just 198 pounds and was only listed at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds on the 2020 spring roster. He has the necessary physical tools to become a playmaker on the outside but hasn't put on the necessary weight to be an every-down linebacker in Jim Leonhard's defense.

The buzz word around college football is potential, and the physically-gifted Green-May is full of it. But he has yet to put it all together during his time at Wisconsin. Green-May never fully bounced back from his injury in 2019 and it will be something to keep an eye on - whether or not that affects him in 2020.

The biggest question surrounding Green-May continues to be elevating to and maintaining a solid playing weight. If he can reach that goal, Green-May has the speed, length and quickness to cause havoc for opposing offenses off the edge.

The Illinois native showed flashes a year ago. Now with Baun gone, the spot opposite Burks is wide open with Green-May, along with Spencer Lytle, Jaylan Franklin, C.J. Goetz and even early enrollee Nick Herbig, all in the mix. This is likely a make-or-break season for Green-May.

One of two major pieces on defense the Badgers lost from last fall, Baun recorded 12.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss in 2019. Burks returns as a starter and Green-May has the opportunity to take over opposite and blossom for a breakout campaign. The Badgers will need production at that position in order to get back to the Big Ten title game.