Wisconsin released its game notes for the 2024 opener against Western Michigan on Friday night. Within, of course, was the long-awaited initial two-deep of the season. Now, this depth chart will be altered over the course of the year due to injury, performance and coaching decisions. But by and large, these are the players you'll see on Saturdays for the Badgers.

With that, here's our annual breakdown of the Badgers' first two-deep of the football season, with analysis and thoughts on each player listed on offense and defense.

1. Tyler Van Dyke (SR)

The ex-Hurricane came to Madison and did what was expected of him — win the starting job with strong performances throughout spring and fall camp. A physically gifted passer, Van Dyke can make every throw on the field. Can he thrive in Phil Longo's offense?

2. Braedyn Locke (R-SO)

Locke fought valiantly, but ultimately lost the quarterback competition to the more experienced and stronger-armed Van Dyke. Still, he appears to have taken significant strides from year one to year two in Madison, and should be a serviceable option should Wisconsin need him.

1. Chez Mellusi (6th-SR)

It may be difficult to remember considering how much time he's missed, but Mellusi is a pleasure to watch run when he's healthy. Fast, elusive and dynamic in the open field, the only question about his game is if he can stay healthy.

2. Tawee Walker (SR)

We knew Walker was a talented back upon transferring to Wisconsin, but the ex-Sooner exceeded all expectations in spring and fall camp. He's a tough, stout runner with a low center of gravity who takes pride in both dishing out punishment and being an excellent receiver out of the backfield.

1. Bryson Green (SR)

Green is likely the strongest receiver the Badgers have, and potentially their best deep threat if he can start winning jump balls on a consistent basis like he did at Oklahoma State. This is a big season for the senior wideout, in terms of the impact he has the potential to make in Madison as well as his own pro football aspirations.

1. Vinny Anthony (JR)

Anthony is one of several players on the team who simply moves in a unique way. He glides across the field, his track background readily apparent. If the coaching staff can use his speed, he could be a dangerous weapon this fall.

OR CJ Williams (JR)

Like Green, Williams has all of the talent in the world but needs to put it together consistently. He should get significantly more snaps and targets in his junior season, but he'll need to reel in more than the 51.7 percent of his targets he did a year ago.

2. Quincy Burroughs (R-SO)

Burroughs had just four catches last season, but at 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, he has the size and frame to be a handful for opposing defensive backs. Burroughs has flashed in practice; now, it's all about making plays on Saturdays.

2. Chris Brooks Jr. (R-SO)

This is the first relative surprise of the two-deep, as Brooks managed to parlay an impressive fall camp into a spot on the two-deep, beating out Tyrell Henry and others. Brooks is a strong, physical deep threat who thrives in contested catch situations. Like Burroughs, however, he has yet to put that on display in stadiums.

1. Will Pauling (R-JR)

Pauling is the most talented receiver on the team, and Wisconsin's unquestioned top receiving option. His development in all facets — physical, mental, leadership — has been extremely fun to watch all offseason. Big things are in store for the slot threat who's essentially always open.

2. Trech Kekahuna (R-FR)

Kekahuna was the biggest standout all offseason. While Pauling is still likely stronger and possesses better hands at this point in their respective careers, the freshman may be even more twitchy and elusive than Wisconsin's star slot receiver. Don't say we didn't warn you.

1. Riley Nowakowski (R-SR)

Nowakowski is the senior leader in a young room of tight ends. He may not possess the most raw talent of the bunch, but his leadership and versatility earned him this spot fair and square.

2. Tucker Ashcraft (SO)

After getting thrown into the fire as a true freshman, Ashcraft will run it back in year two behind Nowakowski. His coach Nate Letton said he's improved as a blocker, and if he can become a more consistent receiving threat he'll be a sneaky weapon for Longo's offense.

1. Jack Nelson (SR)

Nelson is coming off a rougher year, but he's still one of the better returning tackles in the conference and potentially the nation. Expect a bounce-back season from the Stoughton native in what should be his send-off year.

2. Barrett Nelson (R-SO)

Nelson has just six career snaps to his name, but that's more than the other backup tackle. He's one of Wisconsin's better depth pieces along the offensive front, but that's certainly not saying much.

1. Joe Brunner (R-SO)

He doesn't play the sexiest position, but Brunner is quietly a name Wisconsin fans should be extremely excited about this season. He plays with a nasty streak and is extremely physical. The former Rivals75 prospect now finally gets his chance to step into the limelight.

2. James Durand (R-FR)

Another highly-ranked prospect who simply hasn't gotten the chance to prove himself yet, Durand was a Rivals250 player in the 2023 cycle. The Arizona native should be another exciting former blue-chip player to track this fall.

1. Jake Renfro (R-SR)

Finally making his return to football in the ReliaQuest Bowl against LSU after a nearly two-year hiatus, Renfro is finally in line to be starting center once again. He should stabilize the position after it was manned by utility lineman Tanor Bortolini last fall.

2. Kerry Kodanko (R-SR)

Kodanko has yet to take offensive snaps in his Wisconsin career. If something were to happen to Renfro, it tracks that the Badgers would likely seek to shuffle their starting five to find another center before inserting the inexperienced redshirt senior into the trenches.

1. Joe Huber (R-SR)

Huber was solid in 2023, where he played exclusively left guard. Switching to the other side of the line, he'll look to help anchor an interior offensive line that has looked particularly feisty this offseason, especially in terms of getting push in the run game.

2. JP Benzschawel ( R-JR)

Benzschawel is likely the backup lineman Wisconsin feels most comfortable with, simply because he actually has some game experience to his name. He could be the first man off the bench if someone in the starting five were to succumb to injury.

1. Riley Mahlman (R-JR)

Mahlman might be the best offensive lineman on the team when all is said and done. He's a huge anchor at right tackle who played the most of any Badgers lineman last fall. This team expects big things from Mahlman in 2024.

2. Kevin Heywood (FR)

Heywood may be a freshman, but he's an imposing one at 6-foot-8, 235 pounds. He repped with the second team for much of offseason camp, thrown into the fire as an early enrollee. Heywood has a bright future, but if he has to play meaningful snaps this fall Wisconsin's offensive front might be in trouble.

1. Curt Neal (R-SO)

Neal emerged as one of the top options at defensive line alongside James Thompson Jr, who's now out for the foreseeable future. Still, Neal should provide a solid presence up front. He may not wreck an opponent's game plan, but Wisconsin's defensive tackles will be asked to eat up blocks and let its talented linebackers fly around and make plays.

1. Ben Barten (R-SR)

Barten made a case as the third-best lineman on the team over the course of spring and fall camp. With Thompson now sidelined indefinitely, he'll get a chance to contribute the most he has in his time in Madison thus far.

2. Elijah Hills (SR)

The Albany transfer took some time to get acclimated to a Big Ten practice setting, but began to be increasingly disruptive towards the end of spring camp and carried that over into fall ball. But a practice setting is one thing; can the former FCS standout do it in-game?

2. Cade McDonald (R-SR)

McDonald has been a rotational piece along the defensive line for the past two seasons. Still, he only played 89 snaps a year ago. It's hard to know just what he'll bring to the table. It's also interesting that this spot isn't occupied by Wisconsin's other FCS transfer at defensive line, Brandon Lane.

1. Darryl Peterson (R-JR)

Peterson is another player who appears to have taken a big leap this offseason. He was serviceable as an edge player last year, but was never the kind of pass-rusher to strike fear into the hearts of quarterbacks. He's seemingly rounded out his game and should be able to make plays in both pass-rushing and run-stopping situations this fall.

1. John Pius (R-SR)

Pius looks like the best pure pass-rusher on the team. His get-off, violent hands and bend around the edge at 6-foot-4 are all tantalizing attributes. The FCS All-American at William & Mary will now look to prove he can be a dominant force on the edge at the highest level of the sport.

OR Leon Lowery (R-SR)

Lowery and Pius practically wrote the headlines themselves this offseason, especially during spring camp. Like Pius, Lowery brings juice and energy to the edge rusher position Wisconsin hasn't had since Nick Herbig. Lowery, however, is the more versatile player and may be asked to do slightly more than Pius, who should feature as a pass-rushing specialist.

2. Aaron Witt (R-JR)

Witt (6-foot-6, 247 pounds) has all of the physical attributes to be a force to be reckoned with off the edge. He's not an elite pass-rusher like Pius; he figures to play more of a Lowery/Peterson-esque versatile role on the edge. The biggest question for the oft-injured linebacker? His bill of health.

2. Sebastian Cheeks (R-SO)

Cheeks initially transferred to Wisconsin as an inside linebacker, but this is a good landing spot for the former Tar Heel. With how stacked the Badgers are on the inside, Cheeks was barely going to see the field. Now, he supplies good depth on the edge and should be the team's fifth outside backer in the top-to-bottom pecking order.

1. Jake Chaney (Sr)

Chaney is one of the key cogs in this defense. His speed, physicality, tackling ability, and communication all make him one of the best players on this unit. He's in for the biggest season of his career.

1. Jaheim Thomas (R-SR)

Thomas was one of the most impressive newcomers of the offseason. A tackling machine who can also blitz both off the edge and up the A and B gaps, Thomas will be a staple of this defense in 2024 and could very well lead the team in tackles.

2. Tackett Curtis (SO)

Curtis is one of the most instinctive players on the roster. He can fly from sideline to sideline and has a penchant for laying big hits on ball-carriers. The coaching staff is still working on incorporating him into more of their packages, but he's too talented not to deploy each week.

2. Christian Alliegro (SO)

One of the more exciting young players on the roster, Alliegro is a fast, long linebacker who can cover ground and make plays in space. He's still just a sophomore, but that's the exact skillset Mike Tressel needs at inside backer. An excellent athlete and former lacrosse star, Alliegro should rotate in somewhat frequently, especially on passing downs.

1. Ricardo "Rico" Hallman (R-JR)

An absolute technician at the field corner spot with excellent footwork, Hallman doesn't let his smaller frame of 5-foot-10 (generously) stop him from being one of the better defensive backs in the nation. Coming off an NCAA-leading seven-interception performance, and recently named an AP All-American, Hallman is crucial to this secondary.

1. Nyzier Fourqurean (R-SR)

Finally healthy, and with a year of Big Ten football under his belt, Fourqurean looks like a different player in 2024. He was a solid corner last fall, but he now looks like he could be a lockdown player on the boundary. Head coach Luke Fickell said he may be the most improved player on the roster; that's extremely high, unsolicited praise.

2. Jonas Duclona (SO)

Duclona is a promising young corner who wasn't necessarily thrown into the fire as a freshman, but the coaching staff made a clear effort to get him reps. His game-readiness was questionable in 2023 — now, he's clearly equipped to see the field on a semi-regular basis, and should spell Hallman at the field spot from time to time.

OR RJ Delancy (R-SR)

Delancy was mightily impressive this offseason. He can line up either outside or in the slot, making him a critical depth piece for the Badgers and someone whom they'll surely deploy regularly in various nickel and dime packages. He's confident, experienced and an overall excellent option wherever Wisconsin needs to use him.

OR Xavier Lucas (FR)

Lucas generated buzz from the moment he stepped on campus. He has an ideal frame, a high football IQ and his speed has already impressed the coaching staff even as a late-enrollee true freshman. As Hallman said of the prototypical young corner, "I don't know how they let him get out of Florida."

1. Max Lofy (R-SR)

Lofy didn't play at all in 2023, but has looked very sharp this offseason. As someone who's played the slot almost exclusively in his Wisconsin career, he should hold down that spot with authority this fall. Still, don't expect Jason Maitre-level snaps for Lofy; the staff should roll him with Delancy and potentially his backup on the depth chart.

2. Owen Arnett (R-JR)

Arnett finds himself in the same place he was last season: backup nickelback. In 2023, however, the coaching staff didn't trust him enough to deploy him at all, as Maitre took nearly every snap in the slot. Does that change this season? It's hard to imagine him playing before Delancy with the depth Wisconsin has at the position.

1. Hunter Wohler (SR)

Wohler is the best player on the team. He's a do-it-all safety who lines up everywhere and runs, tackles, hits, breaks up passes and pressures opposing passers. New safeties coach Alex Grinch was practically drooling with anticipation when asked about Wohler and all the ways he can use him.

2. Austin Brown (JR)

It's somewhat surprising that Brown isn't a starter alongside Wohler, but he still figures to play plenty in Tressel's defensive-back heavy scheme, particularly in his 2-3-6 package. Brown is a big, imposing defensive back who got some experience in the slot during the bowl game but like Wohler (to a lesser extent) can do it all.

1. Preston Zachman (R-SR)

This is again somewhat of a surprise, but this tells you the coaching staff values Zachman's intangibles — namely his football IQ — immensely. He's a highly intelligent defensive back who prides himself on being in the right place at the right time. If Zachman winds up playing starter-level snaps again this fall, it'll be quite the story for the former low three-star outside linebacker recruit.

2. Kamo'i Latu (SR)

Latu got himself in the doghouse early last fall with a whopping five missed tackles against Buffalo in the opener. He's an extremely physical player, sometimes to a fault. If he can play more controlled and with more discipline, he has a chance to be an impactful player.

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