Wisconsin's 2022 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.

No one improved their stock more during camp than redshirt freshman Skyler Bell. Building off bowl prep and his first live reps during the Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State, the former three-star recruit turned in an impressive spring with the No. 1 offense.

"It was definitely a confidence booster. You get to play in a game like that, a bowl game at the end of the season and they trusted me enough to put me in the game," Bell said in the spring. "Our motto is, when the ball comes your way, go make a play and I got the chance. After that I had a talk with Coach (Alvis) Whitted and just built on it, build on it this spring. Don’t regress, progress."

Bell became a favorite target for both Graham Mertz and Chase Wolf because of his ability to create separation and stretch the field. Staying healthy and consistently being available has been the key.

"I think Skyler is really building off of bowl game prep from last year - the experience in the bowl game just being out there. I think the success he’s had from that standpoint really has given him confidence," Whitted said in the spring. "I’ve been waiting for him to make this jump and I knew that he would at some point in time."

Bell revealed to reporters that he pulled his left hamstring during fall camp last August before he tweaked it again one month later.

"He’s done a great job in the offseason in regards to strength and conditioning. You could see he’s gotten a little bigger," Whitted said of Bell. "There is a confidence factor that’s really helped him a lot. Just being available, I think the biggest thing for him is just being available. He’s taken it upon himself to really have a solid routine."

The added strength translated over to route running, run blocking and improvement in his overall game, according to Bell. And after a year in the program, Bell felt the game slow down and his confidence take a leap.

"I would say my confidence. I'm just more confident when I'm on the field. I know what I have to do when the play is called... My confidence is just higher than it was when I first got here," Bell said. "When I first got here, everyone knew I was fast but I was almost playing a little bit too fast. Now I can slow the game down, see the defense and execute what I need to do."

With the departures of Kendric Pryor, Danny Davis and Jack Dunn go a trio that combined for 36 receptions and 918 receiving yards during the 2021 season. But with Bell playing opposite Chimere Dike, along with at least three other game-ready options at the position, the Badgers could be better at receiver in 2022.

The 6-foot, 190-pound wide out has the potential to be an explosive weapon but has just 14 snaps of game experience. Bell exhibited a new-found comfort in his game this spring and will now be asked to maintain that consistently within an elevated role during fall camp.

Bell has an opportunity to lock down the starting spot next to Dike, a big accomplishment for a second-year player. His development has impressed his peers, and the staff is trusting it will translate to the field this fall.

"If he keeps going and stacking days, he's going to be a hell of a player," Markus Allen said.

"I feel like this spring, he’s been making strides every day," Dike added. "The way he’s been approaching stuff has been really good. His confidence level has been really good and I’m really excited to see where he goes this year because I think he can be a special player."

When opposing coaches scout Wisconsin early in the season, there won't be many familiar names beyond Dike. Bell finds himself part of a group that also includes Allen, Dean Engram and Keontez Lewis, and the competition will be stiff at every rung of the depth chart. With the continued development of Bell, along with his fellow underclassmen, wide receiver could be as deep and talented as it has been during Paul Chryst's time as head coach.

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