Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler selected in Round 7 by Indianapolis Colts

A steady contributor to the Badgers' secondary during his four-year career, safety Hunter Wohler was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in Round 7. With the annual draft happening in Green Bay, Wohler's name was read two hours north of where the 6-2 safety starred in high school and two hours northeast of where Wohler developed into an all-conference defensive back.

"I don't think in my lifetime the draft will ever be in Green Bay again," Wohler told UW Athletics. "It's definitely special being from Wisconsin, playing in Wisconsin, and having the opportunity to have my name called in Wisconsin."

Wohler is the first Badgers safety to be drafted since Natrell Jameson in the fifth round by the New Orleans Saints in 2018.

On campus during a transitional period for the Wisconsin football program, Wohler was a steady presence in the secondary and as one of the Badgers' top overall players, especially in his final two seasons.

Playing for three different head coaches, Wohler contributed in 43 games, including starting 24 games during the 2023 and 2024 seasons under head coach Luke Fickell. Wohler was a first-team all-Big Ten Conference pick in 2023 after he led the Badgers with 120 tackles, the most by a UW defensive back since Reggie Holt (144) in 1991.

Choosing to return for a final season, Wohler led UW with 71 tackles while adding six pass breakups. Against No.1 Oregon and No.3 Penn State, two schools that represented the Big Ten in the College Football Playoff, Wohler combined for 23 tackles (17 solo). Wohler finished his career with 229 total tackles, 12 for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, and 13 pass deflections.

Working out at XPE Sports Training in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Wohler was a standout performer during January's Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama, and was one of over 325 prospects invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this past March.

Among safeties, Wohler had the top three-cone time (6.72 seconds), second in the 20-yard shuttle (4.25), and was tied for fifth in the vertical jump (37-0). Although his 40-yard dash time (4.57) was the second-slowest among safeties, he scored an unofficial 9.55 Raw Athletic Score out of a possible 10.00, ranking him 50th out of 1083 strong safeties that appeared at the combine from 1987 through this season. Wohler chose not to work out at Wisconsin's Pro Day less than a week later.

Per NFL.com, Wohler was ranked tied for 13th with a "good" grade of 67 via the NFL Next Gen Stats Draft Model and tied for 18th with a 5.85 prospect grade. Highlighted by his football IQ and instincts, Wohler was projected to go as high as the fifth round leading into the draft.

A two-time Wisconsin High School Player of the Year, Wohler won the 2020 Jim Leonhard Award as the state's most outstanding senior defensive back at Muskego. A three-year varsity player, Wohler never lost a game with the Warriors, going 37-0 with a pair of Division 1 state championships.

Finishing with 355 career tackles, Wohler was considered one of the top defensive back prospects to come out of the state in over two decades. Rated a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Wohler committed to Leonhard and Wisconsin in December 2019 over offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and others.