Heads don’t automatically turn when a football player switches to a new position. In the NFL, however, coaches and scouts might tell you that succeeding at a new position is altogether akin to learning a foreign language quickly and efficiently. Learning Italian at rapid speed might sound fairly challenging to most people. Likewise, your average football player struggles to make the switch from defensive back to linebacker, or vice versa. As for picking up a new language every year — well, that’s not a task to be taken lightly.

Dontez Sanders is playing weak-side linebacker for the Badgers this year. Last year it was safety, and the year before that he was a receiver, which is what he was recruited to play. After bouncing around between positions in his first three years at Wisconsin, Sanders has hopefully found a home.

The Ohio native who amassed over 2,000 receiving yards at Chanel in Bedford originally planned on catching touchdowns for the Badgers, just as Bedford High products Chris Chambers and Lee Evans had in recent years.

“I felt like Wisconsin was a hard-nosed school, and that was the type of team that I wanted to be a part of,” Sanders said.

As the brother of Ohio State alum and current Atlanta Falcon Darnell Sanders, this Sanders considered being a Buckeye as well. Sanders chose the Badgers and, after redshirting, moved to defensive back, where the Buckeyes originally wanted to play him.

After seeing action in all but two games over his first two seasons, at special teams and in limited nickel packages, Sanders came out of spring camp as one of the candidates for the vacant weak side (or “Will”) LB position.

“I just love playing,” said Sanders. “I just go out there and try to have fun. I don’t mind playing whatever they ask me to do.”

Fellow linebacker Reggie Cribbs repeatedly tells reporters that Sanders is “out there.”

No matter what position he plays, Sanders’ competitive spirit and talk on the field routinely gets others fired up.

“He’s got a lot of things that are contagious,” said first-year defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Bret Bielema.

With the departure of linebackers Jeff Mack and Alex Lewis, it may not come as a surprise that Bielema would look for a driven, hard-nosed player with 4.5 forty speed to fill one of the open roles. However, Sanders’ quick learning did surprise, catching the eye of many.

“Linebacker is more of a reading position,” Cribbs said. “You have to read your keys before you can just react to them. Dontez has learned how to do that very well.”

Sanders took over the starting job in training camp that once appeared destined for LaMarr Watkins. Sanders, though raw at times, continues to use his athleticism and versatility to tighten his hold on the starting role.

“I feel like I go out there and compete with myself and execute as well as I can,” said Sanders.

Sanders showed his athleticism on two big defensive plays this season. Both plays, however, were repealed by officials.

The first, a 50-yard TD fumble return against Central Florida, got called back when the debut of Big Ten instant replay ruled Sanders’ knee was down. The second turnover, an interception against UNLV, coincided with a roughing the passer penalty which nullified the play.

“That was a heck of a play he made to put himself in that position,” Bielema said. “A former wideout — he’s probably the only guy that could have made that catch.”

Sanders even joked about his poor luck on the big plays.

“We’ll see this week,” said Sanders. “I’ll try to come up with something that can get called back.”

While his near-misses have put Sanders in the spotlight, Bielema highlighted one play that may have been forgotten — a tipped ball against UNLV that saved the defense from allowing its first and only touchdown this season.

“If he doesn’t tip that ball, it is going to be in the end zone,” said Bielema. “I think that was his instinct knowing that that guy just went out in the flat. He put his hand up and that saved us six points right there.”

Although projected as potentially the weakest unit on the team entering the season, the linebackers combined for 32 tackles and two sacks over the first two games. After the group led the team in tackles in the first two games, they are looking to set even loftier goals as the season wears on.

“One of our biggest goals we’re trying to obtain is turning the ball over,” Sanders said. “A couple balls were down on the ground that we didn’t grab, but that’s a goal we have every week.”

One of the main themes of spring camp was to take every day as a process. Head coach Barry Alvarez sees the season as a marathon and the entire team intends to take things step by step, right down to Sanders and the linebackers.

“It’s a process,” said Bielema. “I really believe that game was won last week the way we practiced on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.”

While Sanders has had some flashes of brilliance, there is still room for him to grow in his new role.

“Dontez is a guy that, he always wants to do the right thing,” said Bielema. “Sometimes he believes he’s seeing something before it happens instead of reading his key.”

For now, the guy Bielema says you can’t stay mad at continues to open mouths in practice and on Saturdays. He’ll also take his other experiences to bring a new element to linebacking.

“I’d say [Sanders’ other experience] is all universal,” Bielema said. “I think he understands offensive schemes.”

He already holds the title “jack-of-all-trades.” Now, the Badgers hope he can become “master-of-one.”