As Luke Fickell's third 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 13 to April 24.

BadgerBlitz.com is once again expected to watch any open practices available for reporters to attend. Thus, our position previews continue Wednesday with the cornerbacks, a unit with likely the most unique personnel situation on the roster.

SPRING POSITION PREVIEWS: QBs | RBs | TEs | WRs | OL | DL | OLBs | ILBs

After the Badgers saw their cornerback room get completely gutted this offseason with six outgoing transfers, they managed to do some damage control and now project to have a solid unit despite all of the turnover. The biggest key to making that happen was convincing Ricardo Hallman to return for his fifth-year senior season.

Hallman may not have put together the seven-interception season he did in 2023 that earned him All-American honors, but the corner was quietly very good again save for a rough Week 3 against Alabama.

Hallman's reception percentage jumped from 50.8 percent to 61.8 percent last fall, but that number doesn't tell the whole story. He was targeted 29 fewer times, as defenses didn't bother testing him much given the ball-hawking skills he put on tape previously. According to Pro Football Focus, he only allowed three receptions of 15 or more yards while in coverage. Teams would take underneath routes when he backed off, but it was exceptionally difficult to throw deep against him.

At the boundary spot, Wisconsin may or may not return senior Nyzier Fourqurean, who is still in the throws of a legal battle with the NCAA over his eligibility. It remains to be seen if he's available, but if he is, that would be massive: Wisconsin would return its top two starting outside cornerbacks from its pass defense that checked in at 14th nationally in yards allowed per-game. He's listed on the updated 2025 spring roster, so that's a start.

Plan B involves the two cornerbacks Wisconsin signed via the transfer portal: D'Yoni Hill (Miami FL) and Geimere Latimer (Jacksonville State).

Hill played a solid 375 snaps last season with the Hurricanes after spending two years at Marshall. He's a willing tackler on the outside, with 89 total in his career. He's also been very stingy in coverage, allowing a career reception percentage of 55 percent. He didn't get his hands on the ball much last season in Coral Gables, but in 2023 with the Thundering Herd he swatted 10 passes and picked one off. At 6 feet tall, and a listed 180 pounds, he's primarily played outside cornerback in his career.

Latimer emerged as a starter last fall for Jacksonville State and had a good year. His reception percentage allowed was a bit high at 60.4 percent, but he still picked off three passes, swatted five and made 46 total tackles, including 17 "stops," or plays that constitute a failure for the offense. Both corners Wisconsin signed out of the portal are very willing tacklers, which should aid the Badgers' suspect run defense.

Further down the depth chart, Jay Harper and Omillo Agard once were the only cornerbacks left in the room at one point this offseason. Now, they project as backups, but both should get a chance to shine this spring, especially with Fourqurean's status up in the air. Both corners had nice offer sheets and Agard was the 179th-rated prospect in the nation in 2024.

True freshman Cairo Skanes will enroll early, as will hybrid defensive back Jaimier Scott, who is officially listed as a corner on the spring roster.

Wisconsin signed two transfers because it correctly identified a lack of experience between the returning starter(s) and the handful of freshmen. Latimer and Hill have both had nice careers to this point, and Hill in particular proved he could do it at the Power 4 level last season. But if Fourqurean loses his eligibility battle, or even if it holds him out of practice, there will be a mad dash for the boundary cornerback spot.

If Wisconsin doesn't have Fourqurean, the Badgers won't have a cornerback — with experience, at least — taller than 6 foot (Hill stands at an even 6 feet tall). That's somewhat of a concern, and it also begs the question of who would line up on the boundary where defensive coordinator Mike Tressel has historically preferred a bigger body?

With Hill having the size and experience advantage on the rest of the room, he seems likely to be first in line if Fourqurean is a no-go. After him? Agard has a lot of raw talent and is at least 5-foot-11. Still, the pecking order is largely unknown at this point.

Wisconsin's cornerback room has plenty of question marks, but no player is a bigger unknown than the Jacksonville State transfer Latimer.

We're familiar with Hallman's game. We know what Fourqurean brings to the table. Hill played Power 4 ball last fall and did a solid job of it. The freshmen, intriguing as they are, will likely see limited reps with four experienced bodies ahead of them on the depth chart. But Latimer makes the jump up from Conference USA, bringing some intriguing skills.

At a listed 5-foot-10, 191 pounds, he's a smaller cornerback in the same mold as Hallman. But while the latter thrives as a coverage specialist, Latimer appears to be a more physical player. As mentioned, he totaled 46 tackles, including 17 "stops." That should earn him snaps, but can he hold up in coverage? Wisconsin has some fast, slippery wideouts. Latimer will be intriguing to track this spring.

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