Wisconsin Badgers Commitment 101: 2021 RB Antwan Roberts

The Wisconsin Badgers added three-star running back Antwan Roberts to their 2021 recruiting class Tuesday. Here's what Roberts' commitment means for head coach Paul Chryst moving forward.

The first thing that stands out when looking at Antwan Roberts is his size. At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, he would be the tallest running back in comparison to the players at the position on Wisconsin's spring roster. The three-star junior is also lean with plenty of room to fill out, according to his high school coach, Justin Geisinger.

"He's 6-foot-2 and about 195 pounds right now, and you just look at him and see the upside he still has," Geisinger told BadgerBlitz.com. "He has a lot of room to fill out and he really got serious about the weight room in the last year or so. He's a young guy with a lot of growing to do. Being a long and lean kid, he's incredibly strong and explosive, and you can see that on tape. The most exciting thing to me is thinking about what he's going to be when he gets into Wisconsin's strength program. He'll be a 200-plus pound back who is going to be very exciting to watch. His best football is clearly ahead of him and Wisconsin obviously saw that.

"He could play anywhere you want him to, but he's a natural ball carrier. That's what he wants to do because he has natural vision, great instincts and a high football IQ. Antwan is very football savvy and we ask him to do and understand a lot."

Roberts, who rushed for 1,046 yards and 15 touchdowns in only eight games last fall, can run between the tackles and catch the ball out the backfield, a big reason why the staff made him a top priority this winter and spring.

"Wisconsin thinks I'm the best at my position and that's why they wanted me in this class," Roberts told BadgerBlitz.com. "My game has a lot to it and we run a similar offense to Wisconsin at my high school. The transition is going to be tough because the speed of the game is going to change a lot, but I feel like I can do a lot of the things they are looking for at Wisconsin. There are some similarities and I think it will be a good fit."

Looking at his junior tape, Roberts shows nice patience before he plants his foot and accelerates through the hole. He's comfortable between the tackles or breaking runs outside to the perimeter. Roberts may not be the fastest tailback at Wisconsin - he's more of a glider with his long legs - when he arrives on campus, but he can finish runs and take it the distance with the ball in his hands.

Roberts lines up quite a bit in the pistol formation, but he should be fine with a fullback in front of him in more traditional pro-style looks. Returning kicks may not be in his future, but Roberts also excels in that department at the high school level.

"He really has the whole package - good top-end speed, excellent size, good vision in the open field and the ability to break arm tackles and make something out of nothing," Geisinger said. "I'm excited to see him in a setting where he can compete with other great backs because he's a competitor who wants to be the best. He'll have that chance to do that at one of the best schools in the country."