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3 Badgers who Have Already Locked Down Jobs in Fall Camp
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- 3 Badgers who Have Already Locked Down Jobs in Fall Camp
Eugene Hilton during practice on August 6. | Christian Borman
The Badgers are in the homestretch of fall camp .
With just three practices remaining, we're getting tangibly close to the start of the 2026 college football season and with it, Wisconsin's massive opener against No. 4 Notre Dame .
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While the Badgers still have three practices to go in fall camp, which culminates in a scrimmage on Sunday, Aug. 23, several players have already shown coaches everything they need to see.
Here's three players, whose roles were at least a little in flux entering fall camp, who have secured their jobs for the 2026 campaign:
WR Eugene Hilton Jr
Wisconsin WR Eugene Hilton. | Christian Borman.
The second-year wideout has been one of the most consistent players at fall camp, especially on the offensive side of the ball. He's always had strong hands and a natural feel for the game, but he's taken strides with his route-running and overall physicality and athleticism.
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He had probably the most impressive day by a receiver thus far at practice No. 6, scoring four touchdowns in team periods in an unstoppable performance. About midway through fall camp, he began consistently trotting out with the starters alongside fellow receivers Chris Brooks Jr and Tyrell Henry.
"I think it started in the winter. I think his dedication to challenging and changing some of the things he does. He's a gifted guy, but his ability to get stronger, to get faster," head coach Luke Fickell said .
"We saw it a little bit in the spring, I don't know if I'd say we saw it consistently, but we saw some flashes that were really really good. Through this fall camp, we've seen a helluva lot more consistencies."
I expect Hilton to be one of the top three wideouts on this team when all is said and done. This remains a crowded room, but he's been too consistent this spring to not see consistent reps in the fall.
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OT PJ Wilkins
Wisconsin offensive lineman PJ Wilkins. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Entering fall camp, Wilkins has the inside track at left tackle but a battle was expected between him and Florida State transfer Lucas Simmons-Johansson. Two practices in, starting right tackle Kevin Heywood got dinged up and Simmons-Johansson was forced to take up the starting right tackle gig. That's allowed Wilkins to take every single rep at left tackle with the starters; the job has been all but handed to him.
Obviously, you'd like competition at such an important position, especially considering Wilkins is relatively new to tackle. But the 6-6, 335-pound Ole Miss transfer has plenty of potential.
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"He's just an angry man when he plays. He's got an attitude about him, he's got a certain level of toughness and competitive nature to him. He wants to get after people, that's who he is deep down," offensive line coach Eric Mateos said .
Still, Mateos wants to see him embrace the physical play that his body lends itself to.
"I think he needs to work on his confidence with who he is as a player. He's a 6-6, 340-pound tackle with an 86-inch wingspan. You're not a finesse player, so don't play finesse. Just because that pass set you saw on Instagram from Lane Johnson looks good when he does it, that's not you," he said.
"Ithink once he fully accepts, 'man, I'm a wide-hipped, long-armed athletic kid, I'm gonna put my body on people, I think he'll be a really really good productive player."
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CB Eric Fletcher
Wisconsin CB Eric Fletcher. | Christian Borman.
Yes, Eric Fletcher and Jai'mier Scott are still competing at the field cornerback spot, despite cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples saying he doesn't view it as a competition because both players will play.
"It's not as much a battle, like, that whole top core of our room is gonna play. It's not as much about me beating this guy out, it's about me being ready for my moment," he said .
While that's some nice coach-speak, it's absolutely still a competition in that one of either Fletcher or Scott is going to play more snaps than the other. But nonetheless, Fletcher has had a very strong fall and looks like a different player than what I saw on tape last season in Stillwater. He's secured a role on the outside, starting or otherwise.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as 3 Badgers who Have Already Locked Down Jobs in Fall Camp .
