Who takes over as RB1 in 2025?
The Wisconsin Badgers are fully in offseason mode, having completed spring ball last month, so let’s go position-by-position and break down every group.
We started with the quarterbacks yesterday. Now, it’s time for the running backs.
Unlike its quarterback room, Wisconsin retained familiarity in its running back room, going the younger route by putting faith in its 2024 recruiting class. Tawee Walker is out the door, using his newly-acquired year of eligibility to transfer to Cincinnati. Jackson Acker has moved to tight end. And Wisconsin didn’t bring any players in via their 2025 recruiting class or the transfer portal.
That leaves them with four scholarship backs for the upcoming season: 2024 four-star Dilin Jones, 2024 four-star Darrion Dupree, 2024 three-star Gideon Ituka, and Cade Yacamelli.
Who leads the room as RB1?
Entering the offseason, it seemed like Darrion Dupree was in line to take over as the team’s lead back. He saw extensive action as a true freshman, rushing for 317 yards and a touchdown on 79 carries, while catching 12 passes for 119 yards.
Dupree was the lead backup to Tawee Walker over the second half of the season, burning his redshirt, and his versatility was key for Wisconsin under former offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
He started the offseason as the top back, but went down with a lower-body injury midway through spring ball that sidelined him for the rest of the month. As a result, Dilin Jones took over and really shone in the role.
Coming into college, I felt that Jones was the prospect with the higher ceiling, given his rushing style, which balances his explosiveness with vision and agility to work between the tackles. Jones is powerful, but moves very well at his size, while navigating his way well with the rushing lanes at hand.
He and Dupree split first-team reps for the start of the spring alongside Cade Yacamelli, but Jones was the group’s biggest riser by the end of spring ball. Dupree should still be a key piece in the offense, and very well could push back for the starting job when healthy in the fall, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Jones, who is a great fit in the new offense, is the starter come Week 1.
Where does Cade Yacamelli fit in?
One of the bigger surprises this offseason was Cade Yacamelli’s decision to return to Wisconsin after a disappointing campaign in 2024 marked by a lack of touches.
Yacamelli was extremely efficient in his carries, going for 273 yards and three touchdowns on 8.3 yards per carry. But, after some solid performances to begin the season, the running back was effectively phased out of the offense, despite the team not playing well offensively.
The redshirt junior acknowledged he came back after productive talks with the staff, who told him he would be the guy in 2025. But, that doesn’t seem to be the case with the emergence of Dupree and Jones, which could complicate things in the backfield.
Yacamelli should still carve out a role as the RB3, and he’s been getting some first-team reps in the rotation, but his role may not be nearly as big as he thought coming back to Wisconsin this season.
Rising sleeper
With all the talk about the 2024 running backs being on Jones and Dupree, there is a sleeper from the group: three-star Gideon Ituka.
Ituka cut 23 pounds to become quicker and lighter on his feet this offseason, but still has similar power to the flashes he showed as a true freshman. He’s a bruiser out of the backfield with a lower center of gravity, and he’s a hard-working player who seems like a great fit for the new offense.
I don’t know if there’s a role for him this season in a crowded backfield, but Ituka is growing as a player and is someone to watch in the coming years. He could honestly start or be a top back at a couple of schools in the conference.