Wisconsin Badgers 2024 Spring Position Preview: Tight Ends

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 tight ends, a position group that needs to make more of an impact than it did in 2023.

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Hayden Rucci, Wisconsin's most productive tight end a season ago, posted 11 catches for 125 yards last fall. Rucci is now gone, and with him goes nearly half of the Badgers' production at tight end.

Phil Longo barely utilized tight ends in the passing game in his inaugural season in Madison. Tight ends were targeted 44 times, as opposed to 331 targets for wide receivers, according to Pro Football Focus. That disparity can largely be attributed to the fact that the Badgers' tight ends simply didn't fit the mold that Longo's offense requires. The tight ends on Wisconsin's roster were mainly in-line, blocking-first players while Longo wants more athletic, movable hybrid-like athletes.

It's not that Longo doesn't utilize his tight ends. In 2022, when the coordinator was still at North Carolina, his tight ends racked up 1,087 receiving yards. Longo needs players that he can move around a formation and entrust with a complex route tree.

Who could emerge as those players in Longo's second season in Madison? If the Badgers' offense has a weak spot on paper, it's tight end, simply due to a lack of experience and returning production.

Tucker Ashcraft managed to contribute right away as a true freshman. For his 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame, the Seattle native can move well and serve as a legitimate receiving threat at times. He only put up eight catches for 86 yards and one score last fall, but he's a good bet to be a staple of Wisconsin's two-deep.

Riley Nowakowski returns as a senior following his debut season at the tight end position. Nowakowski scored the only other touchdown by a Wisconsin tight end last year in the Axe Game. The Badgers liked using him in the red zone, especially later in the season. If he can continue to hone his game as a tight end, he should be right there in the mix for snaps this fall.

The most intriguing player at the position may be LSU transfer Jackson McGohan. He didn't play as a freshman in Baton Rouge, but the Badgers are in love with his athletic ability and potential. Fickell tried to lure the Miamisburg, Ohio native to Cincinnati before he came to Madison, and the coach will get his shot to develop a player he recruited heavily at his prior job.

Still, the Badgers need immediate help at the position, which is why its crucial that Wisconsin's two true freshman — Robert Booker and Grant Stec — are enrolling early this spring. Both players appear to fit the mold Longo seeks at tight end, as both are athletic pass-catchers who can be moved around the formation. It'll be fascinating to see how quickly they're given the chance to compete for meaningful reps.

Stec and Booker were both highly sought-after recruits who, in addition to possessing fantastic size, can both run routes and catch passes proficiently. Because of the Badgers' obvious need for that skillset at the position, it feels like if they were given an opportunity they could make an immediate splash. The question is, when will that opportunity come?

The "experienced" players ahead of the freshman barely fit that description. Nowakowski has only played tight end for one year. Ashcraft will be just a sophomore. McGohan didn't see any offensive snaps for LSU a season ago. What's more, no one in Wisconsin's tight end room has proven that they are capable of being a consistent difference-maker. What does all this mean? There should be plenty of snaps for the taking.

The entire depth chart at tight end should be up for grabs this offseason, from top to bottom. Wisconsin did well to restock talent at the position by bringing in two coveted freshman and a transfer. All that's left to do is determine the pecking order on the football field.

The aforementioned freshman will be intriguing to watch, but McGohan is the one to keep an eye on this spring. In high school, McGohan displayed everything Longo could ask for in a tight end: alignment flexibility, great hands, an ability to run after the catch and a nasty, physical demeanor. With his athletic tools, he should be given every opportunity to show what he can do. And with the depth chart wide open, McGohan's time is now.

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