Wisconsin Badgers 2024 NFL Draft Prospects

© Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

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With the 2024 NFL Draft approaching soon on April 25th, three Wisconsin Badgers have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, along with 318 other college football players. Last year, the Badgers also had three players invited to the combine, and all were drafted within the first four rounds:

• OL Joe Tippman: 2nd round to the New York Jets

• DL Keenu Benton: 2nd round to the Pittsburgh Steelers

• LB Nick Herbig: 4th round to the Pittsburgh Steelers

Let's take a look at the three NFL Combine participants this year to see if they all realize every player's dream of hearing their names called on the draft stage in Detroit!

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Wisconsin Badgers NFL Draft PROSPECTS

BRAELON ALLEN - RB

Braelon Allen added his name to the list of top backs to play at RBU and has several positive traits that teams are looking for. At 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds, Allen is built more like a fullback but brings the speed and quick feet typically found in a back 20-25 pounds lighter. As expected with his size, he does not shy away from contact and also has the elusiveness to make tacklers miss when needed.

Allen is one of the youngest players in the draft, as most Badger fans are aware because it was called out on EVERY television broadcast that he was only 17 years old during his freshman year. Being Wisconsin's lone representative at #34 on Bruce Feldman of The Athletic's College Football Freaks List, Allen will surely dominate at the combine with his rare combination of strength and speed.

In the old-school NFL days where RBs were coveted, Allen would have been a first-round pick in the draft. However, since the NFL is a pass-first game now, Allen's deficiencies with pass-blocking, blitz responsibilities, and limited yards after catch will drop him on the boards of many teams.

Projected Draft Round - 3rd

Dallas or Baltimore are teams that could scoop up Allen in this round as they both have needs at the position.

TANOR BORTOLINI - OL

MAEMA NJONGMETA - LB

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Wisconsin Badgers: Fill the NFL draft bucket coach

After an embarrassing 34 -10 loss to Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium in 2022, Athletic Director Chris McIntosh made the right decision to fire Paul Chryst as the Badgers were becoming less talented and competitive each day. As you can see from the table below, the Badgers have not had this few Combine invites in back-to-back years since 2015 and 2016.

With the addition of Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington to the Big Ten this year, the schedule is only going to get tougher for Bucky. Gone are the days of the Big Ten West JV division when the Badgers had to stumble over themselves to not win the division most years.

Head Coach Luke Fickell has done a good job with his first two recruiting classes, filling gaps on the roster left by the previous staff. Wisconsin has been known as a school that excels at developing players, and Fickell needs to ensure the program gets back to its roots in that area. To be successful, he needs to return the program to years like 2011 and 2012, when Wisconsin had seven players invited to the Combine in consecutive years. This will lead to a higher number of players being drafted, which will positively impact recruiting in the long term.

Draft Year	Wisconsin Badgers Invited to Combine
2024	3
2023	3
2022	4
2021	Thanks for nothing COVID - no Combine
2020	4
2019	8
2018	6
2017	6
2016	3
2015	2
2014	6
2013	4
2012	7
2011	7