The Wisconsin Badgers have been large gamers within the switch portal this offseason, seeking to improve a number of place teams as they hoped to make a much bigger push in 2026.
Defensively, the Badgers went after expertise on the line of defense, at linebacker, and particularly within the secondary, the place a number of transfers are projected to begin proper now. But additionally they had some younger returners who want to take that subsequent step. We noticed Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano get away as freshmen at linebacker in 2025, however there have been a number of different freshmen who have been touted popping out of highschool.
At cornerback, Cairo Skanes was within the two-deep as a real freshman on the subject nook spot. And Jai’mier Scott was additionally within the two-deep combine as a freshman, even when the snaps weren’t there.
With quite a lot of newcomers at cornerback, these returners could get ignored a bit, however defensive coordinator Mike Tressel spoke to a number of the consistency that Scott has proven from Year 1 to Year 2.
“I think the biggest thing is he truly believes, ‘hey, it’s his time now,’” Tressel stated of Scott. “It’s his time to at the very least compete and, shoot, in his mind, why not me, right? And he should believe that because he’s that talented. I think that he was a pretty smart dude and had the length and could run and all that from last season too, but I don’t know if he quite believed it was his time and he should be the guy out there. And so that’s night and day.”
Scott, standing at 6’1, 192 kilos, will compete to be part of the two-deep this season, however the Badgers have a a lot deeper cornerback room with depth than they did in 2025, when true freshmen have been compelled up the depth chart.
Wisconsin added Arizona State switch Javan Robinson, Florida State switch Cai Bates, Ohio State switch Bryce West, and Oklahoma State switch Eric Fletcher from the switch portal this offseason. They additionally added Carsen Eloms and Donovan Dunmore of their freshman class. So, solely Skanes, Scott, and fellow redshirt freshman Jahmare Washington return at cornerback from the 2025 season.
There needs to be quite a lot of competitors on this room all through spring ball with no ton of skilled returners, and that battle needs to be among the best this offseason.
