Wisconsin's 2024 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 Luke Fickell's squad this year.

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

James Thompson came to Wisconsin as part of its 2020 recruiting haul that ranked No. 28 nationally. The defensive lineman was relatively under-recruited, as the Badgers and Iowa State were his only two power conference offers. Hailing from Cincinnati, Fickell and the Bearcats were involved with his recruitment as well coming out of high school.

Thompson committed to Wisconsin after his official visit to Madison, the first official visit of his entire recruitment.

"As soon as I came up there, it was just crazy. Everybody was passionate about the team, the players coming in, the crowd cheering them on, that really blew my mind...Also just how beautiful the city is. The two lakes are really great for fishing," Thompson told BadgerBlitz.com at the time.

Smitten with the Badgers after his official, Thompson called his high school defensive coordinator in his hotel room at the end of the day and discussed how he felt about Wisconsin. That made it clear Madison was where he wanted to be.

“So I decided, man, I just got to be verbally committed, I guess," he said.

Thompson appeared primed to take a leap in 2023, and initially, he did. The lineman logged three sacks over the first four games of the season, and was particularly disruptive against Washington State with five tackles and 1.5 quarterback takedowns. After the month of September, however, he failed to record another sack, and his impact on defense began to dwindle.

Thompson could be the most physically gifted player in E.J. Whitlow's room. At 6-foot-5, 288 pounds, he's got a long frame with which he can out-leverage offensive lineman and get his hands in the passing lanes. He's not an incredibly powerful pass-rusher, but his length allows him to create disruptive plays.

"Those guys are very impactful," Whitlow said this spring when asked about his presumed top two of Thompson and Curt Neal. "They're good leaders, they work hard. As guys that are veterans in the room, I talk to them all the time. There's expectations. There's pressure with that. But pressure is a privilege."

Despite his production falling off after September, Thompson was still Wisconsin's most impactful defensive lineman. His 18 total pressures led that unit, per Pro Football Focus, as did his 29 tackles. Thompson made it clear that he was the best player in that room last fall.

We know he can eat up blocks in the trenches and serve as a capable run-stopper. Now, it's time for the redshirt senior to put it all together in terms of pass-rush and become the consistently impactful lineman his athletic profile says he can be.

Wisconsin is in dire need of more production from the defensive line, and Thompson represents the Badgers' best hope to improve in that department in 2024. Yes, transfer reinforcements Brandon Lane and Elijah Hills were brought in to improve the defensive trenches, but Thompson is essentially a guaranteed starter at this point. His production — or lack thereof — is a key X-factor in how this defense will perform overall.

Thompson has flashed in the past, and his size and athleticism are tantalizing traits that scream potential as a disruptive defensive end. We have yet to see him put it all together, however, and 2024 figures to be his last chance. With yet another new defensive line coach, Thompson has a chance to really hone his technique and find ways to maximize his athletic gifts. How will we remember him as a Badger? The lineman's legacy is on the line this fall.

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