Wisconsin Badgers Camp: Best of the Field

Prep Redzone Wisconsin was able to get out to the final Wisconsin Badgers camp of the summer, and what an experience it was. Elite facilities gave us a great environment for a very rainy day. The coaches were fired up from start to finish and gave the kids drills that not only allowed the coaches to scout the player but also have something they can take home to implement on their own. The athletes did their part too. 200+ showed up to show off their stuff in front of not only the Badgers staff, but also staffs from the D3 up to FCS levels. It was an environment that was going to allow the cream to rise to the top, and it did just that. The day ended with multiple athletes earning offers from the Badgers and the other staffs in attendance. To kick things off in our coverage of the event I want to focus on the cream of the crop. The athletes who came in and left their mark from start to finish. Many of whom earned offers from the Badgers or came in with one.    What a ride it has been covering Nolan for the past several years. Watching him grow and develop his game and learn over the years has been an impressive journey to witness. Last night we saw a big leap in that journey as he turned a dominant showcase of his talents into an offer from the Wisconsin Badgers, marking his first Big Ten offer and 7th D1 offer overall. Watching him prove his abilities was fun to witness.   He blew away the combine testing. Showing that he has the explosive athleticism to play at the highest level. We also saw the blazing speed required to roam the back end of a defense with a 40 that coaches timed in the 4.48- 4.53 range. The 5'10" 180 lbs '25 DB has the tools, but he also had to show that the athleticism translates to the field. In DB drills the Menomonee Falls product demonstrated quick feet and loose hips to transition out of a backpedal in every direction. He also showed he could turn and run, find the ball, and go up and attack it. Anderson looks like a kid that you can ask to drop down onto the line of scrimmage and cover a receiver man to man if needed and not be at a disadvantage athletically. It was a great showing and an exciting opportunity that he capitalized on. Big things are ahead for him.     Coach Blazek had an outrageously loaded OL group to work with during the camp, and one of those special bright spots in the group was '26 OL Sam Simpson from River Falls, WI. The incoming junior already looks the part of a Power 4 IOL. He checks in at around 6'4" and a clean 285 lbs, telling me that there is more than enough room to continue to be in the weight room and the kitchen adding size and strength to his frame.   When the rain subsided we were able to get out onto the Barry Alvarez Field and that is where Simpson showed why the Badgers had already extended him an offer weeks ago. So many of the things that you look for in a high end OL prospect are starting to show up in Sam's game. He is developing a powerful base and leg drive to stuff bull rushers and reset the line of scrimmage downfield in the run game. His ankle and knee flexibility let him get underneath the DL in the one on one battles and show that he knew how to get the leverage advantage. Where I am very excited to see him continue to develop, and the coaches were keying on it, is with his hands. They were powerful, but as he learns to continually be looking to reset them with better and better positioning he is going to become even more dominant. The big man put together a great day and is well on his way towards being in the running for one of the best OL in the Midwest.     The Camp MVP went to the very impressive TE out of St. Francis HS in IL. No question, Gavin looks the part of a Power 4 TE. As an incoming junior, Gavin already stands around 6'6" 240 lbs. An elite frame, and what is more impressive about him earning the MVP honor is the kid hasn't even played a varsity football snap. Despite the inexperience it is clear the natural ability and uncoachable traits are abundant for the '26. The raw tools he has displayed this summer, and at the Badgers camp in particular culminated in him leaving with an offer from the Badgers to go along with that MVP honor.   Gavin is a rare athlete at the TE position based off what I saw in Madison. His balance and body control gave him the ability to run smooth routes and get out of breaks efficiently. No doubt his basketball background has helped him develop there. His acceleration and play speed opened up consistent separation from DBs/LBs coming out of those breaks as well. Mueller is strong at the catch too. He tracks the ball well, catches it will strong hands away from his body and proved he could hold on through contact. Gavin is turning himself into a special mismatch in the passing game. The '26 is sure to really blow up when he gets some varsity film and experience under his belt.     The most impressive RB on the day came over from Michigan. The 5'10" and now 200 lbs back, Izaiah Wright, looks the part of a Power 4 back. He has built a muscled up frame that is ready to handle the wear and tear of a Big Ten season. Izaiah has also built a well rounded game. The camp for skill players was helmets only, so Izaiah was able to focus on showing the athletic side of his game. The sudden lateral agility to make an LB miss 1 on 1. The explosive lower body that gives him a powerful burst of acceleration. The balance to be able to make cuts/jukes and accelerate out of them instantly. Plus the long speed needed to be a playmaker at the Power 4 level.   Those traits shined and Wright left the camp with an offer from the Badgers, so I had to go to the film of his sophomore season where he scored a ridiculous 31 TDs and put up over 2,100 all purpose yards. To put it simply, Izaiah is a man among boys on Friday nights. Everything stands out from the crowd. His speed, quickness, balance, the way he can move in tight spaces. Then you add in the ability to rip through arm tackles and churn his legs over broken tackles. Izaiah has piled up the offers this summer, and it is great to see Wisconsin wants in on him.     The MVP of the loaded OL group was 2026 lineman Benjamin Novak out of Indiana. This was my first experience watching the stud prospect, but it is clear the team over at Prep Redzone IN are well aware of his talents as they have him slotted in as OL1 for the 2026 class in IN. There is so much to like about Ben. He brings a mammoth frame at 6'6" 320 lbs. Ben sets himself apart because he isn't just a big body. The kid is an athlete and has high end traits that Power 4 programs need in their trenches. The Badgers agreed and extended him an offer following his great day on Barry Alvarez Field in Camp Randall Stadium.   The 1 on 1 battles were where we really got to see what these dudes were about. The competition was off the charts. Every athlete had to bring their best and with the adrenaline flowing that is what we got. Benjamin is a force to be reckoned with. He has the great ability to play with a very low pad level at his massive size. That leverage, size, and strength combination gave him the ability to maul his opponents in battles and on tape. Huge frame, heavy hands, flexible lower body, powerful base. Novak looked the part of a Power 4 OL.     Another lineman who will be in position to make a run at top OL in the Midwest by his senior season, and maybe beyond the Midwest, is [player_tooltip player_id='1335688' first='Cole' last='Reiter'] out of Germantown. The incoming sophomore looks like you built him in a lab when you see him walking around. 6'6" frame with long arms to match. His 275 lbs is carried so easily on that frame. You can definitely put another 25 lbs on him over the coming years and at the next level. What also sets him apart from the crowd is how well his body control has developed at such a young age and while working with such a massive frame. The high ceiling and his current talent were more than enough for the Badgers staff to extend the offer to him.   While watching Cole it is clear that even with the immense natural talent he has, the kid is just scratching the surface on his potential. His raw power and natural athleticism got him a lot of wins in 1 on 1. As he continues to develop the finer points of the position he is going to become so much more efficient and powerful and impactful in the trenches. I'm excited to cover the growth of his game over the next three seasons of HS football. The sky is the limit for this kid as he continues to develop his game.     Bonwell- With didn't wait around to make a name for himself at the Badgers camp, and he capped off his dominant day with an offer from Wisconsin. The top WR coming out of South Dakota according to our scout sure looked the part from start to finish. From combine to 1 on 1 battles. The incoming junior is already an impressive 6'2" 180 lbs and the kid can move at that size. I was able to catch one of his 40 runs and the coaches had him at 4.55. Plenty fast enough, and to pair with it Dveyoun really impressed with his route running. He is able to move that bigger frame fluidly in and out of breaks and he has the acceleration after the catch needed to play out in space at the Power 4 level.   The '26 WR plays the ball so well too. His ability to track it in the air, adjust to it, and go get it aggressively stood out from the crowd. Bonwell- Witte's hands naturally pluck the ball out of the air. The '26 WR has been on an absolute tear this summer, earning offers from the likes of Oklahoma, Minnesota, Nebraska, and others to go along with his freshly earned Wisconsin offer.     An impressive '25 OL that had plenty of attention on the day was Wisconsin Lutheran OL [player_tooltip player_id='1380095' first='Michael' last='Smith']. Michael checks the box when it comes to his build. Coming in at 6'6" 280 lbs, Michael fit right in with the rest of the top OL prospects. The skill set also looks like a Division 1 football player. Michael has quick feet and solid balance and reactive athleticism to mirror pass rushers. He utilized his length to get first contact in 1 on 1s and used solid hand power to stand up and control pass rushers. Michael wasn't afraid to do the dirty work in the run game either. He demonstrated that he can play with a low pad level and dig a DL out of the trenches.   Michael definitely had the attention of the coaching staffs at the camp and left with an offer from Northern Iowa. Northern Iowa joins Washington State and Colorado State as his current offers. Plus the Badgers staff was working with him closely throughout 1 on 1 battles. His senior film could earn him more interest from the Badgers and others if he hasn't committed before then.     One of the top QBs in the Midwest made his way to Madison last night for the team's final camp of the season. Owen quickly established himself as the most impressive passer of a strong group of signal callers. The 6'2" QB is now up to 190 lbs and looks the part of an FBS QB. Watching the mechanics of the incoming junior QB was a blast. From his feet to the release, everything was so efficient and smooth and worked together consistently. All that gives Owen the arm talent to be recruited like he has been. Owen is able to drive the ball on a rope with velocity to hit any level of the field. He is also able to pinpoint where he wants to place the ball with precision accuracy. It is clear that the 2026 QB is a poised athlete.   Watching him step up and throw to new receivers at the camp was fun to watch. He was able to pick spots where he wanted to put the ball for his man to go get it, and that is exactly where he was able to place it. The Downers Grove North product made it look easy all night long. Big things ahead for him.

Prep Redzone Wisconsin was able to get out to the final Wisconsin Badgers camp of the summer, and what an experience it was. Elite facilities gave us a great environment for a very rainy day. The coaches were fired up from start to finish and gave the kids drills that not only allowed the coaches to scout the player but also have something they can take home to implement on their own. The athletes did their part too. 200+ showed up to show off their stuff in front of not only the Badgers staff, but also staffs from the D3 up to FCS levels. It was an environment that was going to allow the cream to rise to the top, and it did just that. The day ended with multiple athletes earning offers from the Badgers and the other staffs in attendance. To kick things off in our coverage of the event I want to focus on the cream of the crop. The athletes who came in and left their mark from start to finish. Many of whom earned offers from the Badgers or came in with one.