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 in to our staff rankings.

Guard Michael Furtney comes in as the first offensive lineman in our Key Badgers series. The fifth-year senior has played in a good chunk of games during his time at Wisconsin, having appeared in 31 contests with a pair of starts at right guard in his career. Throughout the spring, Furtney held down that same role with the first unit. During camp, the first-team offensive line, from left to right, was Jack Nelson, Tyler Beach, Tanor Bortilini, Furtney and Logan Brown.

"I like playing guard. I have always said I can play both sides," Furtney told reporters this spring. "Just how I'm built, right has felt a little more natural to me, so it's been good,"

Along with Beach, a sixth-year senior, Furtney is one of the veterans of the group. Dependent on how fall camp plays out, he could form a solid tandem with Brown anchoring the right side.

"I think we have a high ceiling and a lot of room to grow," Furtney said. "It's only been eight practices, but I think there is high ceiling and I think we can do some really good things next to each other. Just continue to grow and that connection will grow to something special."

With how former assistant coach Joe Rudolph liked to rotate players along the offensive line, Furtney, 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, saw some reps (186 in 2021, 85 in 2020, 19 in 2019, according to PFF) but never cracked the first unit consistently. Despite the experience he brings, there have only been a pair of times where Furtney came out with the starting offense over the last two years. Heading into his third season of consistent playing time, Furtney will be asked to hold down the right side of the interior.

As part of a crowded room, Furtney will have to play well all fall in order to hold onto a starting job in 2022. The wild card this fall will be Tanor Bortolini, who played center all spring with Joe Tippmann sidelined due to injury. Position coach Bob Bostad prefers Bortolini on the inside, which should push Beach and Bortolini all fall. The Badgers could also put Bortolini at right tackle if the two guard spots are solidified, and assuming Tippmann is healthy and dialed in at center. That should be one of the more interesting storylines to follow next month.

Whether or not Furtney appears with the starting line in Week 1, he will provide some depth and leadership to the position group. At the very least, Furtney will remain a key piece to the 2022 roster when Wisconsin goes into packages with extra lineman on the field. Right now, though, it's his job to lose at right guard during camp.

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