Post-Fall Camp Position Overview: Wisconsin Badgers Wide Receivers

MADISON — 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 continue our offensive overviews with a look at the wide receivers, a position group filled with transfers and productive returnees.

RELATED: Quarterbacks | Cornerbacks | Running backs

Bryson Green: The Oklahoma State transfer, who missed the spring with an injury, wasted no time making his presence felt during training camp.

Green has the size (6-foot-1, 215 pounds) and physicality to overwhelm defenders and make contested catches down the field or in the red zone. He caught 42 passes for 723 yards with seven scores for OSU, setting career highs in all three categories this past season.

"Physically, he's a little bit different than the other guys," offensive coordinator Phil Longo said. "That's not taking anything away from them. That just happens to be Bryson's strength. It'll be good to have a guy out there who can handle longer corners and bigger safeties."

The idea that more than six receivers will be in the rotation: Longo and wide receivers coach Mike Brown have spoken often about their desire for a six-receiver rotation since they arrived in the winter.

Expect that to be a pretty strict number.

While the Badgers have the depth for seven or eight receivers to play, it's unrealistic to expect that many to be used during games (barring injuries, of course) with only so many snaps to go around. Tough decisions will be — or already have been — made. Some talented receivers will need to wait their turn.

"The ideal number is six," Brown said. "...I think it's tough to play more than six. Six is that sweet spot that you'd love to have."

The top six throughout camp included Green, Chimere Dike, Will Pauling (slot), C.J. Williams, Keontez Lewis and Skyler Bell (slot). Quincy Burroughs, Tommy McIntosh, Vinny Anthony and Chris Brooks Jr. also got some reps with the second-team offense.

What will the distribution look like? This is the most talent the Badgers have had at receiver in recent memory (possibly ever). With six players expected to be in the mix, how the ball will be distributed will be an intriguing storyline to follow throughout the season.

Last year, six of Longo's North Carolina pass catchers finished with more than 25 receptions. They all went over 300 yards receiving and scored at least two touchdowns.

Slot receivers have typically been the most productive in Longo's version of the Air Raid.

Josh Downs, taken by Indianapolis in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, led North Carolina in catches, yards and touchdowns in 2022. He finished his collegiate career with 202 catches, 2,483 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Dazz Newsome, UNC's slot man before Downs, caught 188 passes for 2,435 yards and 18 touchdowns over four seasons. Going back a bit further, current NFL star A.J. Brown logged most of his snaps (422) in the slot for Ole Miss in 2018. He amassed more than 1,300 yards and six touchdowns.

The Badgers have one receiver — four-star Kyan Berry-Johnson — in their 2024 class thus far. They added one (Trech Kekahuna) in their 2023 class.

This position group will be just as crowded next year, even if players like Dike and Green decide to enter the 2024 NFL Draft. McIntosh, Anthony, Brooks and Kekahuna will compete with several players with multiple years of eligibility remaining (Bell, Pauling, Burroughs, Lewis and Williams). This group is set up well for the present and future.

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