2019 Wisconsin fall camp preview: Garrett Rand returns to defensive line

In less than a month, Wisconsin will open fall camp in preparation for the 2019 season opener against South Florida.

Gone is Olive Sagapolu, but the majority of contributors from last year's defensive line are back for Wisconsin. Along with Garrett Rand's return towards the end of spring ball in limited work, Inoke Breckterfield's position group looks to be a year more experienced heading into fall camp.

Miss a position? Catch up here: | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Offensive Line |

If the defensive line stays healthy, Wisconsin could trot out a first-team grouping of redshirt juniors Garrett Rand and Isaiahh Loudermilk at the end spots with sophomore Bryson Williams at the nose tackle position. Rand, who missed all of the 2018 season due to injury, worked in toward the end of spring ball in limited fashion.

"It's going to be great getting the rust knocked off," defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said upon Rand's return to the field on April 13. "Trying to be smart with him. He came off a big injury and just want to get his feet back underneath him. Get him back to the point where he can just have a great summer, which he wasn't able to have in different times in the past. So it's always great to see good players getting back on the field and feeling healthy and smiling, running around, so it's great to see him back on the field."

Rand (6-foot-2, 279 pounds) mentioned during the spring he should be 100 percent for both summer conditioning and fall camp. The time away from the game, however, may have fueled his desire.

“It definitely, definitely sucked at first, but I kind of think of it as a blessing, too, because I think my drive to play is much like - my fire is like burning for football - so I can’t wait to play,” Rand said on April 13. “I think that’s helped me to realize how football is so special to me. So it was a really long process, but I’m thankful for all the people I had to help me along with that, my teammates, friends and parents.”

Loudermilk (6-foot-7, 307 pounds) also missed some time last season, playing in nine games and recording 15 tackles, three pass breakups and 2.5 tackles for loss. Like Rand, if the Kansas native stays off the injury list, the duo could greatly solidify a position group that needed to bring Kayden Lyles over from the opposite side of the line of scrimmage for 2018.

After Sagapolu dislocated his shoulder at Northwestern, Williams was thrown into the fire. some The 6-foot-2, 304-pound Nebraska native played in all 13 games with three starts as a true freshman.

Former walk-on Matt Henningsen (6-foot-3, 271 pounds) stepped up last season as a second-year player to earn starters' reps after injuries hit the group. The redshirt sophomore should again figure into the 2019 rotation, at the very least. Redshirt senior David Pfaff played in 11 games last year and based on spring camp reps, expect him to fight for a back-up spot as well.

UW listed redshirt freshman Isaiah Mullens at 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds in the spring. He appears to have the physical tools with his frame, and any contributions this season can only help lock down the defensive line. At times this spring, fellow redshirt freshman C.J. Goetz (6-foot-3, 247 pounds) appeared to flash in at least one spring scrimmage where he recorded a tackle for loss and sack.

Maybe the biggest concern is who backs up Williams at nose tackle. Redshirt senior walk-on Gunnar Roberge was the primary nose guard with the No. 2 defense during spring ball, and he finished those practices with a two-sack performance - both coming on consecutive plays - on April 26.

Behind Roberge, will any of the three incoming true freshmen be able to contribute early? Unlike Williams a season ago, Rodas Johnson (6-foot-4, 285 pounds), Gio Paez (6-foot-3, 305 pounds) and Keeanu Benton (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) did not enroll early to take advantage of spring ball reps. A four-star standout from Ohio, Johnson told BadgerBlitz.com in June that he will play the 4i (defensive end) position, and it will be interesting to see how he acclimates to the college game quickly.

Benton enters Wisconsin not only as an accomplished prep defensive lineman, but also as a WIAA Division 1 state runner-up in wrestling the last two years.

As seen in his spring tweet below, Paez appears to have college-ready physical strength but also is relatively new to the game as he started playing his sophomore year of high school. He mentioned in May that Wisconsin also likes him at the 4i defensive ned position.

Regardless, he seems up to the challenge of making an impact early.

"I don’t want to give them a reason to have to redshirt me," Paez told BadgerBlitz.com in May.