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.
STRENGTHS
Reggie Pearson, a three-star safety out of Michigan, really came on for the Badgers last fall. Wisconsin maintained Pearson’s redshirt season as he only played in four contests, including a start against Michigan in 2018. In 2019, Pearson, appearing in 14 games with 13 starts, recorded 60 tackles - 38 solo, 22 assisted - two forced fumbles and four pass break-ups.
At 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, Pearson plays much bigger than his frame. Over the course of the 2019 season, he became a physical enforcer on the back end. Pearson formed a formidable tandem with Burrell and stepped up after the Badgers lost Scott Nelson for the year in Week 1. Pearson's best performance came late in the season against Nebraska when he tallied 10 tackles, one of which stopped a fourth-and-goal on the one-yard line to thwart a comeback.
WEAKNESSES
The Michigan native became a reliable starter on the back end but left something to be desired in terms consistency as a tackler. Outside of the two forced fumbles, Pearson didn’t record a sack, quarterback hit or interception in 2019. Heading into his second full year of playing time, Pearson's stats should be more well-rounded this fall.
WHY HE'S No. 17
Much like the situation at cornerback, the safety group is returning everybody that played meaningful snaps in 2019, and is even getting Nelson back after he missed the majority of the season with a left leg injury. For as well as Pearson played this past season, Jim Leonhard will have all kinds of depth at the position with Burrell, Pearson, Madison Cone, John Torchio and Collin Wilder, among others.
OVERALL
During his recruitment, Pearson was the first commit for Wisconsin in the 2018 class. Now heading into 2020, Pearson and Burrell will be slated as the starters and expected to anchor down a defense looking to build on a dominant 2019.
