The Badgers have a trio of prospects expected to be selected on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft is finally upon us, which should be an exciting day for Wisconsin Badgers fans.
Why? Well, former safety Hunter Wohler, offensive tackle Jack Nelson, and guard Joe Huber are expected to all be selected on Saturday at some point between the fourth and seventh rounds, with all three players projected by analysts as fifth or sixth-round picks.
Wohler, the Badgers starting safety for the past few seasons, had a fifth-round grade from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who had the following to say:
“A two-year starter at Wisconsin, Wohler lined up at strong safety in defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s 2-4-5 base scheme. He led the Badgers in tackles each of his two seasons as a starter, and the defense looked completely different in the one game he missed in 2024.
“Despite his short arms, Wohler is automatic as a tackler with his ability to work down, wrap and finish one-on-one (averaged eight tackles per game over the past two seasons). He shows some promise covering in underneath zones, but savvy route runners can get him turned around, and his recovery skills are mediocre. Overall, Wohler is a one-speed athlete and will be limited as a true coverage player at the next level, but his read-react ability and competitive edge versus the run should give him NFL value. He might not be an ideal starter, but he has the tools to hang around as a quality depth piece and special-teamer.”
While he could very well go early on Day 3, the safety talent has gone off the board slower than expected, so it may be a little longer wait for Wohler.
Jack Nelson, on the other hand, is considered the sixth-best offensive tackle prospect available in the draft, according to ESPN’s Big Board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about the lineman:
“A four-year starter at Wisconsin, Nelson lined up at left tackle in former offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s zone-based, Air Raid scheme (although he believes his best position is at right tackle). The son of an NFL draft pick, he grew up in an offensive line family and learned under four offensive line coaches in Madison, making key improvements from his junior to senior seasons.
“Nelson has functional athleticism in his setup to handle swing-tackle duties, although reps can get away from him at times because of inconsistent posture and balance. His run-game tape shows better promise with his lateral maneuvers to reach defenders and his range on backside zone and gap-side cutoffs. Overall, Nelson is an instinctive, skilled blocker with the baseline traits for the next level, although he might be a “master of none” type of blocker, which could relegate him to backup status.”
Huber, who is the least talked about of the trio, could possibly be the first selected, as he’s the No. 3 guard available, according to ESPN’s Big Board. He’s also projected to go in the fifth or sixth round. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him:
“A two-year starter at Wisconsin, Huber lined up at right guard in former offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s zone-based, Air Raid scheme. After not playing offensive line until his senior year of high school, he showed steady growth each year and honed his craft learning under four different offensive line coaches in college.
“Huber grew into his frame without sacrificing his foot quickness. He plays with alert eyes and the physical mentality of a former walk-on (not very outgoing, but he abides by the phrase “From my silence comes violence,” which was turned into a popular t-shirt). Though he has some range, he needs to address some of his sloppy tendencies in the run game — he often got too wide or overextended himself, which showed up against the tougher opponents on the 2024 schedule (Alabama, Penn State, Oregon). Overall, Huber might not have a true distinguishing trait, but he also doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses that would keep him from becoming a depth piece on an NFL roster. He is best suited for a power-based scheme and offers proven versatility on the interior.”
Each of these three players should hear their name called on Saturday. When and to where that happens are the big question marks. Stay tuned and share your thoughts in our draft day thread below!