Following the conclusion of fall camp, BadgerBlitz.com will take a look at each position group and where they stand with the final phase of the offseason wrapping up.
We'll continue our defensive overviews with the safeties.
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STOCK UP
Preston Zachman.
Few took greater advantage of fall camp than Preston Zachman.
He missed all of spring with a hip injury, which benefitted players deeper in the rotation like Owen Arnett and Braedyn Moore. But when Zachman returned in the fall, he reminded everyone why Hunter Wohler was the only safety who played more than him last season.
He plays almost like an outside linebacker in the back end. Zachman’s athletic, aggressive and zips around the field as if he’s always head-hunting. He’s similar to Wohler in this way, and should provide some relief for the superstar.
Zachman found even more value during fall camp as an extra rusher off the edge. The coaches were far more blitz heavy over the final few weeks of practice, and Zachman was a crucial part of that.
“He’s had a really, really good fall camp,” said co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Alex Grinch.
“He’s been a playmaker for us in the back end, has a level of confidence, communicates well, has a great understanding of the defense — not just the defense, but also how an offense might attack you — puts pads on people, physical in the run game, moves well… that’s been a major addition for us this fall camp.”
It seems as if he’ll be a “1B” in the secondary, filling a similar stylistic niche as Wohler, but there’s no limit to his workload or impact.
STOCK DOWN
Kamo'i Latu.
The safety room over the past few months has seemingly formed around one of last year’s most important safeties in Kamo’i Latu. He suffered a shoulder injury on the third day of spring camp and has yet to return.
After a successful 2022, he was benched last season in favor of Austin Brown and only played part time, finishing fourth amongst safeties in snaps with 306, according to PFF.
But he was still starting at safety at the beginning of spring prior to his injury. Then he went down, Brown moved from slot corner to safety and Max Lofy replaced him in the slot. This remained the first team secondary for the rest of offseason camps, and they’ve looked stellar.
When Latu returns and is healthy, he’ll earn reps, but there’s no guarantee of his place in the hierarchy.
BIGGEST QUESTION BEFORE THE SEASON OPENER
How much will Wohler play?
Few are thinking about Wohler, and for good reason. There’s not much to discuss with one of the best players on the team. But as the season nears and rotational decisions are being ironed out, it’s worth questioning the level of workload Wohler will receive.
The room is slightly deeper, but they didn’t add anybody who’s close to Wohler’s level. The coaches can’t feel nearly as comfortable with Wohler off the field as when he’s on.
Last season, he finished second on the defense with 859 snaps. That included five games where he registered 70+ snaps. 859 is a lot. It’s worth questioning if he could physically withstand the burden of another 800+ snap season.
Ultimately, Wohler is probably the best player on the team and will play a lot, as long as he’s healthy. It’ll be interesting to monitor Wohler’s workload to see how much faith the coaches have in the rest of the room.
A LOOK AT THE FUTURE
The Badgers have landed commitments three likely safeties to their 2025 class, and they all seem to fit different molds.
Grant Dean and Luke Emmerich are both three-star recruits, from the Midwest (Neenah, Wisconsin and Monticello, Minnesota, respectively) and are track stars. Dean finished with a 10.82-second 100-meter-dash in April, while Emmerich bested him with a 10.69 time just two weeks later.
Dean’s athleticism also manifests itself with his success as a running back, rushing for 1,991 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior.
Emmerich is currently listed as an “athlete” and could play a variety of positions, but safety - specifically the dollar - is still in play given the relative lack of future talent at that position.
Jaimier Scott, the highest-rated player for the Badgers in this class, could play a number of different spots in the secondary.
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