On paper, Wisconsin’s 2002 recruiting class has the appearance of caulking: extremely bland and rather marginal, but effective in sealing all cracks from flooding.
Of all the prep players that signed with the Badgers, none were among the top national 150 blue-chip players, a list that has included five Badgers the past two seasons. But what this class does is add depth to the places UW was deficient in during the 2001 season.
“This class was designed for needs,” coach Barry Alvarez said. “It’s very versatile, and we were able to meet our needs, and [it] will give us better overall team speed.”
In all, of the 26 players Wisconsin signed, there are six running backs, six linebackers, three defensive backs and two kickers. Expect many of the running backs to make the move to defensive backs to help sure-up a secondary that was tenth in the Big Ten in scoring defense in 2001.
The biggest immediate impact of help will come from an area that has rarely been used under Alvarez: junior college players.
“You bring in junior college players for one reason, and that is to give you immediate help,” Alvarez said.
One player that should see the field without delay is linebacker Alex Lewis from SUNY-Morrisville. With the departure of Nick Greisen and Bryson Thompson from the linebacking corps, Lewis should step in and play the strong side eagle position, with Jeff Mack moving to the middle linebacker spot.
Lewis wasn’t the only addition to the Badgers’ rather poor linebacking unit, with Reggie Cribbs of Chicago and Mark Zalewski of Wausau top prospects to see action next fall.
“There will be a good handful of players that will see the field at linebacker,” Alvarez said. “That’s where we’re thin and inexperienced. All the guys we signed are big, physical and they can run.”
With the kicking woes that plagued Wisconsin last season, the Badgers signed one of the best JC kickers in the nation, Scott Campbell from Georgia Military Academy.
“The thing you like about a junior college kicker is that they’ve kicked the ball off the ground rather than a tee,” Alvarez said. “I think he will be someone we can rely on to get the ball near or in the end zone, and he will compete for the starting place-kicker position.”
Also, expect a number of recruits in the secondary to see time in nickel coverages and special teams, two areas Wisconsin must address. The two recruits that look to have the best chance to make an impact are Levonne Rowan of Erie, Pa. and LaMarr Watkins of Mt. Laurel, N.J. Both have good size, with Rowan measuring at 6-foot-2 and Watkins, who played running back in high school, at 6-foot-1 and 205 lbs. Together, the duo could be vital in the secondary next season, especially at safety.
