BadgerBlitz.com dives into its message board to take questions from subscribers in this week's mailbag.
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Who is a player on both offense and defense who you feel could surprise this year?
Offense: With multi-year starter Jake Ferguson preparing for the 2022 NFL Draft, Jack Eschenbach is my "surprise" pick on the offensive side of the ball. The former walk-on has just five receptions over the last three seasons, but Eschenbach - if healthy - may have the inside track to work with the No. 1 offense at tight end this spring. At 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, Eschenbach has the size and athletic ability to provide a spark in Wisconsin's passing game.
"Jack has had to earn it in a different way and it has been from outworking other people, spending extra time," position coach Mickey Turner told reporters last spring. "He shines when the lights aren’t on and he’s still on the practice field hitting the sled or coming up and meeting with me. He meets with me more than anyone else. I’ve seen that confidence switch in the few last months and last year but he had to find it a different way."
Defense: Who starts opposite Nick Herbig at outside linebacker will be a storyline to follow this offseason. Veteran CJ Goetz is the safe pick, but Darryl Peterson, who saw time in the Las Vegas Bowl, and Spencer Lytle - if healthy - will also be in the mix.
My potential surprise player on defense, however, is Aaron Witt, who, after he contributed as a true freshman, missed all of the 2021 season with right leg injury. Position coach Bobby April was very high on the 6-foot-6, 249-pound third-year player during spring camp last year.
"Aaron’s built different and I’m not talking about physicality, length and all that, but his mindset towards the game is a different factor," April told reporters. "The guy is a guy that you want in a street fight with you. He has no fear to put his face into the boiler and come out. He ticks different and he helps our room because if you're wanting to look for a physical play, he’s going to try and find it and it’s hard to coach that.
"It’s hard to coach someone to put his body or whatever it may be on the line for you, and he’ll do that without even blinking. So that’s the fun part about Aaron."
