4 biggest surprises on Wisconsin Badgers Week 1 football depth chart

Week 1 of the college football season is finally here. Fortunately for Wisconsin football fans, the wait for kickoff is shorter than most have to endure. The Badgers take to Barry Alvarez Field inside Camp Randall Stadium Thursday evening to open the season against the Miami Redhawks.

With the offseason, spring football, and fall camp finally in the rearview mirror, the Badgers released their depth chart ahead of the season opener. It is the most eye-opening look yet that fans have into how head coach Luke Fickell and his staff are evaluating their roster ahead of a critical third season in Madison.

Five true freshman land on the two-deep

The youth movement is alive and well at UW. Although most of Wisconsin's first-team offense and defense is made up of upperclassmen, its depth is headlined by a handful of standout true freshmen.

Four true freshmen are set to play a role on defensive coordinator Mike Tressel's unit this season. Jaimer Scott and Cairo Skanes bolster a cornerback room with question marks at the top surrounding Nyzier Fourqurean's eligibility. Cooper Catalano and Mason Posa quickly carved out a role for a deep inside linebackers group.

Offensively, one true freshman has been making headlines in Madison since spring practice. Eugene Hilton Jr., son of former NFL wideout T.Y. Hilton, is listed as a second-team wide receiver in a veteran-laden group of pass catchers. Near the end of fall camp, offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes proclaimed that the former three-star prospect "definitely will have a role" in the offense this year.

Those five represent a significant increase in projected young contributors compared to what Wisconsin had in 2024. Last season, offensive tackle Kevin Heywood and cornerback Xavier Lucas were the only true freshmen on the two-deep Week 1.

Dilin Jones poised to become next great Badgers running back

With Dilin Jones earning his place as the number-one running back headed into the season-opener, he has bucked recent trends in Madison. Although not a true freshman, his spot on the depth chart as a freshman by eligibility his a rare feat. The Maryland native appeared in three games, rushing for 88 yards on 16 carries in 2024.

Jalen Berger was the last Badger running back listed as a freshman to crack the two-deep in Week 1. That season, 2021, Berger began the year as the backup to Chez Mellusi. Berger was dismissed from the program in October, making room for a breakout true freshman season by Braelon Allen.

Jones battled his way to the top of the depth chart despite fierce competition behind him. Sophomore Darrion Dupree entered the offseason as the favorite to earn the top role. As a freshman, Dupree appeared in 11 games, averaging 4.0 yards per carry on 79 attempts, as Mellusi and Tawee Walker dealt with injuries.

Coaching staff loves using 'OR'

Perhaps the most eye-popping feature of the Week 1 depth chart is the prolific use of "OR" throughout. Used to indicate the possibility of multiple players appearing in a role, Wisconsin is keeping its options more open than it has in recent seasons.

The Badgers have 13 spots listed with an "OR." More than double the five such uses on the 2024 initial two-deep.

Although one might expect a decrease in the number of wide receivers used by the UW offense as it transitions from the air raid under former offensive coordinator Phil Longo to Grimes' wide-zone scheme, the opposite is true thus far.

Seven receivers were listed ahead of Wisconsin's opener against Western Michigan a season ago. Now, both outside receiver positions have multiple second-team options, totaling nine wideouts.

Kicker battle unresolved

Due to a disappointing 2024 campaign, Nathanial Vakos played himself into a position battle during fall camp. From short distance, the senior placekicker has been perfect on his 65 extra point attempts during his time in Madison. At long range, Vakos has been equally as impressive, becoming Wisconsin's all-time leader in 50+ yard field goals.

In between the two, however, has been a mixed bag.

In total, the former Ohio Bobcat made just 12 of his 19 field goal attempts in 2024. Missing all three of his attempts from 40-49 yards and connecting on only six of his ten attempts from 30-39 yards, Vakos' inconsistency in the mid-range necessitated a competition with longtime kickoff specialist Gavin Lahm.

On the depth chart, Vakos and Lahm are each listed as the first-team field goal kicker and kickoff specialist, with that pesky "OR" between the names. Shortly following the release of the two-deep, Fickell said during his weekly press conference Monday that Vakos would "start off kicking for us."