The Badgers have a few young defenders stepping into starting roles this year.
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The Wisconsin Badgers were one of the most active teams in the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in quite a few players to fill their holes, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Wisconsin brought in key contributors at all three levels of the defense, looking to adapt to defensive coordinator Mike Tressel’s new scheme.
But, they also have a number of younger players looking for more opportunity as veterans moved on in the offseason.
So, which defensive player is poised for a breakout season in 2025?
The top position to identify is the linebacker position, where Tackett Curtis and Christian Alliegro are poised to start after being the top backups as sophomores in 2024.
Alliegro has seen time in packages and due to injury over the past two years, but this will be his first chance at a full-time role. Curtis, on the other hand, saw good playing time as a freshman with the USC Trojans before being a reserve last year after transferring.
Now fully healthy, Curtis is looking to live up to his potential and emerge as a premier starter at the position.
Elsewhere, Austin Brown is a good candidate as well, moving back to his more natural position of safety. He’ll work alongside Preston Zachman at safety, while likely playing a versatile role.
There are other possible options at all three levels, as Wisconsin is starting to rely on younger players to fill the gaps in 2025. So, vote in our weekly Reacts poll above and share your thoughts on who it is in the comments below!