Wisconsin has a few rising players stepping into starting roles in 2025.
The Wisconsin Badgers had quite the overhaul this offseason, as they saw over two dozen players depart in the transfer portal.
While they brought a number of transfers back, that also provided an opportunity for younger players to step up into bigger roles.
Wisconsin will see new starters at every position group on defense in 2025, with a mix of transfers and risers coming into the fold. With that much change, there is always the potential of a breakout star to come together.
Who could that be for Wisconsin’s defense this season?
In our weekly reacts poll, 56 percent of fans believe that Christian Alliegro will take that helm as he steps into his first year as a starter at linebacker.
Alliegro, a three-star recruit in the Class of 2023, has flashed in both of his years at Wisconsin. He was a pass-rush specialist on third downs as a freshman, with the Badgers taking advantage of his size and athleticism to go after the quarterback and keep contain.
Then, as a sophomore, he recorded 66 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks in a bigger role, rotating in the mix and even getting a few starts due to injury.
Now, Alliegro is set to take on the starting job at middle linebacker, and his activity will be something to monitor as he’s a tackling machine.
How Wisconsin uses the junior will be intriguing, as he has the ability to move sideline-to-sideline, while also being a pass-rush specialist as a blitzer. Wrapping up and taking better angles will be keys for Alliegro’s breakout, but he’s always had a nose for the football and will certainly have the opportunity to shine in 2025.
Tackett Curtis earned 22 percent of the vote as well, stepping into his first year as a starter with the Badgers. Curtis had a lot of playing time as a freshman at USC before transferring to Wisconsin last offseason.
Injuries derailed his progress, but he still saw the field a good amount and had some nice games, finishing the season with 27 tackles. He’ll also have the opportunity to shine in 2025, but needs to be more consistent with angles as well in the run game.
Wisconsin hasn’t seen the linebacker play they’ve usually been accustomed to in recent years, so Alliegro and Curtis will look to reshape that as they step into bigger roles.
Austin Brown could also be a candidate to break out, as he’s back at his natural position in 2025. Projected to start at safety alongside Preston Zachman, the former four-star has a big opportunity to take over Hunter Wohler’s role. He’s best near the line of scrimmage, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see defensive coordinator Mike Tressel move him around a bit.
Wisconsin will need several players to step up defensively in 2025 if they are to have a better season than they did in 2024. Getting breakout seasons from some of their rising starters would go a long way to achieving that goal.