Wisconsin's 2021 football season is right around the corner, so BadgerBlitz.com ranked the top 30 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.

Collin Wilder, who is entering his fourth year at Wisconsin after transferring from Houston, is expected to move into a full-time starting role following the departure of Eric Burrell. Wilder has played in 21 games and started in three contests for the Badgers and appeared in 15 games for Houston before he left for UW. With limited experience behind the projected starters, the sixth-year player is a reliable option at safety for Jim Leonhard's unit. Wilder, 5-foot-10 and 201 pounds, didn't have the label of a starter in 2020 but played 220 snaps as part of a rotation that included Scott Nelson and Burrell.

"With Colin, the one thing you know is it’s going to be physical football. He’s going to play as fast as possible every play, so just giving him little things to play with a little more control," Leonhard said about Wilder in the spring. "He did a great job for us. Really you look at the last two years, we’re a significantly better team when he’s on the field."

During the spring, most of the defense spoke about not creating enough big plays this past season, and Wilder was no different. He recorded an interception in the Duke's Mayo bowl but was stopped four yards short of the end zone. Ascending into a role as a full-time starter, Wilder is looking to manufacture more takeaways.

"At the end of the day we got to take the ball away and I didn’t think we did a great job of that, including myself," he said. "For me, personally, I know I have to have a big year... I know that this is probably the most important year of my career, personally. Everything that I can really think of is mostly just attacking the football and maximizing the opportunities on the field. There were a couple balls that I could have made mine during the year, so attacking certain plays and finishing certain plays is probably at the top of the list."

Wisconsin returns a wealth of experience on the defensive side of the ball, and Wilder is a prime example of that. He is in line to be one of the anchors on the back end with Nelson, his roommate and close friend. Barring an injury, the pair is locked in to start at safety and will likely see the bulk of reps at the position.

"Of all the things we do off the field together, when we get on the field together it's very easy to be on the same page," Wilder said of his tandem with Nelson. "If we have questions, we're bouncing questions and answers off of each other and when we screw up, we know. We know when one of us makes a mistake and it's very easy to coach each other up and to learn from.

"That's why I'm really excited about this year getting to play more with him."

Wilder's impact on the team will span further than the numbers he puts up this season. Behind Nelson and Wilder, Travian Blaylock, Taylor Mais, John Torchio and Preston Zachman will be batting for backup reps. The sixth-year senior realizes his role in the room and is hoping to leave a mark on the group.

"I understand the scheme, I understand the defense, now it's about trying to bring guys along and make sure we're all getting better together as a group," Wilder said.