Following the conclusion of spring practices, BadgerBlitz.com will be evaluating the standing of each position group heading into the summer.

We’ll start our analysis of the defense by breaking down the safety group, which features some top-end veterans and exciting newcomers:

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Entering his senior season, Austin Brown made significant changes to his body. He said he added muscle and dropped body fat over the offseason while coming into camp 10 pounds heavier than he finished the 2024 season.

Still, it wasn’t clear where exactly Brown would fit in the defense. He primarily played the nickel in 2023, and with the additions of transfers Matt Jung and Matt Traynor, it seemed plausible that Brown could remain at the position or split time between nickelback and strong safety.

He started spring camp at the nickel, but whether it was due to the emergence of Gemiere Latimer in the slot or Brown’s excellence at the safety spot, he shifted back to strong safety full time for the back half of spring.

Brown’s experience and versatility, along with his transformed body, resulted in an impressive 15 practices. He played strong coverage on tight ends and had several interceptions. Despite adding weight, Brown hasn’t lost a step in the speed department, making quick reads and getting downhill to attack ball carriers.

After setting career highs in tackles and pass breakups in 2023, Brown should have plenty of opportunities to set new records in those categories, now operating as Preston Zachman’s primary running mate.

The safety unit from top to bottom had a pretty solid camp, so this was a tough decision. However, redshirt freshman Raphael Dunn was outshined by early enrollees Luke Emmerich and Grant Dean despite having an additional year of experience.

That’s not to say Dunn had a bad camp, but there just weren’t enough flashes or high points, which was reflected by the fact that Dean got most of the opportunities with the second team when one of Traynor and Jung wasn’t on the field.

Brown, Zachman and Owen Arnett are entering their final season of eligibility, so there’s plenty of opportunity for Dunn in the future, but he has some work to do.

Will Matt Jung Be More Than A Spring Camp Standout?

I have no doubts about Zachman and Brown’s abilities as a safety duo. But past them? There are plenty of unknowns. Traynor was a freshman All-American at Richmond last season, and Jung won the Cliff Harris Award for the best defensive player in Division III. Jung looked more comfortable making the jump in competition level and made some very impressive plays throughout camp. Still, jumping two divisions is not an easy task, especially when you’re joining a team that’s going to play a tough Big Ten schedule.

He’s a ballhawk with great instincts, but most of his standout plays came against the second-team offense in limited contact practices. Still, he’d likely be the next man up in case of an injury, and we’ll need to see more from him to be fully confident about his ability to step up if needed..

I’ve liked what he’s been able to do since stepping on campus, but Jung has to continue to perform and maybe even raise his level of play before the season starts in order for me to feel comfortable with the safety depth.

As previously noted, there’s going to be a lot of turnover in the safety room following the 2025 season. To counteract that, Luke Fickell and his staff brought in three safeties in the 2025 class – all of whom enrolled early. Grant Dean, Luke Emmerich and Remington Moss each landed three-star ratings from Rivals.com.

Of the trio, Dean stood out the most during camp and even earned some second-team reps. The Neenah, Wis., native had a pair of interceptions and flashed his impressive athleticism. While he’ll likely need to put on weight – he got trucked by running backs Gideon Ituka and Grover Bortolotti in separate practices – Dean’s time in Madison got off to a strong start.

Emmerich got some buzz during Wisconsin’s Spring Showcase when he made a leaping interception in the end zone. While he didn’t get the reps that Dean did throughout the entirety of spring, Emmerich had some nice moments.

Moss is the lightest of the three freshman safeties and has been slower to adapt to college ball, but again, it’s still far too early to make judgements on the freshmen.

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