MADISON — Will Pauling and Skyler Bell hold special places in Phil Longo's heart.
No, really.
In a hilarious (yet serious) statement, the Wisconsin offensive coordinator made his affinity for slot receivers well known last week at the Badgers' local media day before fall training camp began.
Longo only loves a few people in his life more than slot receivers.
"I told my wife ... I think the thing I love the most after my wife and kids are slot receivers," Longo said to a group of reporters that erupted in laughter.
As silly as that sounds, the numbers from Longo's past paint that picture. Slot receivers typically have been the most productive in his offense.
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 in 2018. He amassed more than 1,300 yards and six touchdowns.
"The toughest thing is when you don't have a guy who can play that position," Longo, who came to Wisconsin after four years as North Carolina's offensive coordinator, said. "He's in the middle of the field most of the time. He's not out wide. He's not in the backfield. He's in the middle of the field with space on both sides. He's a mismatch for a lot of people."
Pauling and Bell have been pushing each other since the spring, but both will have significant roles in the offense regardless of who earns the top slot on the depth chart.
Pauling, a transfer from Cincinnati, missed a chunk of the 2022 season with a knee injury and was in a tough spot on the depth chart with 2023 NFL Draft pick Tre Tucker ahead of him. Still, wide receivers coach Mike Brown, who came to UW from Cincinnati, saw a player on the verge of breaking out.
Pauling, a speedster, can turn short catches into 10-yard gains and get behind defenders on deep routes. He showed that during practices as a Bearcat and has continued to do so since his first practice with the Badgers in March.
"You have to have a good amount of quickness and twitch," Pauling said. "You also have to have IQ, knowing the defense and where they are at. In the slot, you're not lined up against one corner with a safety over the top. In the slot, you have to work around linebackers and find tighter windows. You have to understand things a little bit more."
Playing slot receiver has been an adjustment for Bell, who finished second on the Badgers in catches (30), yards (444) and touchdowns (5) as a redshirt freshman last season. He was primarily an outside receiver until moving inside this spring.
"The first few practices (in the spring), I was seeing things a bit slower than usual," Bell said. "In the slot, there are way more people around. I just had to get used to so many bodies around me."
Brown noted how far Bell has come since those early practices.
"I just had a conversation with him," Brown said. "He was like, 'Man, I feel so much better.' He's playing faster."
Longo said both Bell and Pauling give Wisconsin's offense a "mismatch guy" at the position.
"Without the O-line, we can’t do anything. We all know you have to have a quarterback," Longo said. "The third position for me would be to make sure we find and maintain talent (in the slot).
"We need that position to be prolific. I think Will and Skyler are going to have big years."
Both, of course, are well aware of the numbers that support Longo's love for slot receivers.
"Coach Longo has sent me a graphic with guys he's put out," Bell said. "You definitely look at that and see, 'Wow, I can be the next one. Why can't I be the next one?' "
Pauling said, "Seeing Josh Downs get drafted and what Dazz Newsome did, it's really exciting."
_________________________________________________
*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den
*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel
*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)
*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @MHoganReports @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45, @seamus_rohrer
*Like us on Facebook
