Wisconsin Badgers 2024 Spring Position Preview: Safeties

As Luke Fickell's second act in Madison draws closer, BadgerBlitz.com will break down Wisconsin's roster position by position ahead of spring camp, which is slated to take place from March 22 to May 2.

BadgerBlitz.com is once again expected to watch any open practices available for reporters to attend. Thus, our position previews continue Sunday with the safeties, a unit headlined by Hunter Wohler.

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Wisconsin's safety room will have some of the most continuity on the team this fall. The Badgers only lose 117 snaps, courtesy of the graduating Travian Blaylock. Other than that, Wisconsin returns its top four players at the position, one that should be rock solid for Mike Tressel's defense in 2024.

The room is led by Wohler, who is one of the best returning safeties in the nation. Last fall, he posted 120 total tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, six pass breakups, two interceptions and a sack. He's an incredibly versatile defensive back who can play everywhere. He spent time in the box, as a free safety, in the slot, at cornerback and even on the edge. Wohler is likely the best overall player on the Badgers' defense, and he'll headline the unit in what should be his sendoff season.

Behind him, Wisconsin has some options to sift through. Preston Zachman played the second-most snaps a year ago behind Wohler, and he figures to get plenty of run once again in 2024. He progressed nicely as the season went on, and also recorded two interceptions, including one off Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. Zachman isn't a dominant athlete by any means, but the former high school plays the game with a high level of understanding and is one of the better stories on the Badgers' defense.

Perhaps the most exciting player in the room, aside from the established star in Wohler, is Austin Brown. The junior safety appears to have a very high celling, and the staff took a serious look at him in the ReliaQuest bowl. He played primarily in the slot that game, and while the Badgers have reloaded at slot corner, he'll be an option at that position moving forward. But Brown figures to be more than just a rotational slot player; he's got a very good chance to emerge as a starting safety opposite Wohler. Brown has patiently waited his turn, and 2024 looks like his shot to make a name for himself.

Kamo'i Latu will return for his final season of eligibility. He dug himself in a early hole with the new staff last fall, missing a whopping five tackles in the season opener against Buffalo. Latu is more of a thumper than a coverage specialist, and it'll be interesting to see how he's deployed in his final season in Madison.

The staff also appears to be high on redshirt freshman Braedyn Moore, who didn't play a season ago but worked his way into some second and third-team reps last offseason. He'll likely remain a reserve this season, but his development will be interesting to track as well.

The rest of the safety room consists of three walk-ons, and in the summer it'll be joined by true freshman Raphael Dunn.

Tressel loves to deploy his dollar package, which features three safeties on the field. Still, only two will be listed as starters when the initial two-deep is released ahead of the season opener against Western Michigan. Wohler is an obvious lock to occupy one of those spots, and the second spot will be up for grabs throughout spring and fall camp. But who does the staff trot out opposite Wohler to open spring practice?

With his returning experience, Zachman is a logical choice. Again, he's a high-IQ safety who displayed tangible improvement over the course of the 2023 season. He's transitioned from a linebacker to a safety while in Madison, and seems to have found a perfect spot on the roster.

Brown makes plenty of sense as well. He's got more physical tools than Zachman, Wisconsin clearly wants to find ways to work him into its defensive rotation. Brown's time seems imminent.

Aside from the clear top dog Wohler, the Badgers rotated their safeties heavily last fall as they tried to find the right personnel and scheme fit. With an almost identical returning safety room, that shouldn't be as much of an issue in Tressel's second season at the defensive helm.

With a rather thin spring roster in terms of scholarship players, and an almost identical returning core, Brown is the de-facto player to watch for the Badgers.

He's versatile and athletic, and it'll be interesting to see how Wisconsin elects to use him. Brown has gotten plenty of reps in previous offseason camps, but he's yet to fully crack the rotation to play starter-level snaps at safety. For Brown, now's the tine.

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