Wisconsin RB commit Antwan Roberts is off to a fast start
Through two games this month, Antwan Roberts has rushed for close to 400 yards with nine touchdowns on the ground.
Most importantly, though, the future Wisconsin running back has helped Pope John Paul II in Tennessee get off to a 2-0 start this season.
"That’s the type of start I was hoping for," Roberts said on the BadgerBlitz.com Podcast. "I knew my guys up front could get it done, and we did."
A 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, Roberts isn't taking his final prep campaign for granted. Seasons have been pushed back for several of his future teammates in the Badgers' 2021 recruiting class.
"Definitely I’m not taking any of this for granted because it could be taken away in the blink of an eye," Roberts said. "Me and the guys have been talking about even with this time off, just to be productive with it and train hard so when we show up at Wisconsin, we’re in good shape.
"I tried to focus on my size, durability and speed. I’ve gained a couple pounds of muscle and my speed has gotten faster. Just taking those carries each game and pushing it down (the field). We lost a lot of seniors last year from the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver. So with them gone we’ve seen loaded boxes each week, and I’m just taking those hits and making sure my body feels good."
Roberts, who visited Madison for the first time last November, committed to UW in April. He chose the Badgers over offers from Cincinnati, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Missouri and Vanderbilt, among others.
"I loved it when I visited there," Roberts said. "I loved the school, the fans, the team and what they have going on with that culture. Coach (Paul) Chryst, Coach (Bob) Bostad and Coach (John) Settle, they told me about the benefits of coming to Wisconsin as a student first and the degree that it carries. And then the football aspect and getting to play at the best level, it stood out to me. They run the ball - downhill, zone, powers, counters - they mix it up. A pro-style (offense) with big boys up front and they just run it.
"It’s a 40-year decision, not a four-year (decision). They are trying to do their best to make sure I’m set for life. Knowing that I want to potentially play after college, but that degree is always going to stay there and it’s going to carry weight with it. That was very important to see the campus before the whole pandemic. Who knows where I would have been at with the recruiting process? I’m glad I did and I’m 100 percent sure I made the right decision."
In November, Roberts, a three-star prospect, had a chance to speak with Jonathan Taylor, who is now preparing for his first season with the Indianapolis Colts.
"I talked to Jonathan Taylor and we talked for about 10 or 15 minutes," Roberts said. "He was telling me about how he loved it here. The people here take care of you. It’s not one of those things when you visit and the people are nice to you, and then you go there and it’s a whole different experience. It’s the same thing that you’re going to get every single day when you were recruited.
"I feel like my style is really a multitude of other peoples'. I try and take people I like watching, like Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey with their route running and stuff like that. Also, I know that when it’s time to get those four or five yards and when it’s time to break it, I feel like I can do it all. Home-run hitter or just keep pounding throughout the game or catching it out of the backfield."
Though he hasn't been able to see his future teammates or visit since last fall, Roberts has been staying in close contact with UW's other commits in the 2021 cycle.
"That’s been very important, just trying to build team chemistry," he said. "A lot of things that we had planned doing together, like taking our visits the same week and hanging out, got canceled. So sending texts and telling your future teammates to keep working hard and building chemistry is very important to us."