Less than a week before Wisconsin kicks off its 2026 campaign at Lambeau Field, Badgers On SI is finishing its rankings of the top players at each position among the Badgers' 12 regular-season opponents.
With defensive linemen and linebackers accounted for, we'll move on to the secondary and take a look at an impressive collection of defensive backs that includes legitimate Thorpe Award candidates.
Penn State safety Jeremiah Cooper and Notre Dame cornerback Christian Gray , though there will be plenty of Fighting Irish representation to come, are among several notable names who just missed the cut.
Former Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jontez Williams | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Williams emerged as a playmaking cornerback at Iowa State in 2024, recording 46 tackles (23 solo), two tackles for loss, four interceptions and five passes defended across 14 games while earning Second-Team All-Big 12 honors. Unfortunately, his 2025 campaign was cut short after five games due to a torn ACL in his right knee. Williams finished the abbreviated season with 15 tackles (nine solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception and three passes defended.
After transferring to USC in the offseason, Williams recovered in time to make his Trojans debut in a Week 0 win over San Jose State, though he recorded just one tackle.
The redshirt senior has a knack for producing takeaways without surrendering many big plays or frequently drawing penalties. At 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds, Williams also isn't afraid to provide support against the run and has developed a reputation as a strong tackler. Health remains the primary concern, as his agility and explosiveness are worth monitoring coming off such a significant knee injury. Williams and USC will meet Wisconsin in Week 8 at Camp Randall Stadium.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish safeties Brauntae Johnson (9) and Adon Shuler (8) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Notre Dame boasts one of the toughest defenses in the country, including a standout safety duo in Shuler and Johnson. In his second season as a starter in 2025, Shuler totaled 53 tackles (30 solo), three tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and five passes defended in 12 games.
Johnson stepped into a regular role for the first time last year and showed out with 48 tackles (35 solo), 0.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions (one pick-six) and three passes defended across 10 appearances.
Shuler is a two-time captain who, at 6-foot and 205 pounds, will likely spend most of his time as the boundary safety but can make plays wherever he's deployed. Consistency as a tackler remains an area for improvement for the senior, but his instincts routinely put him in the thick of the action.
Johnson enters his junior season as an already well-rounded safety with plus ball skills and steady tackling ability at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds. He'll likely operate primarily at free safety but offers similar versatility to his running mate. The productive pairing will look to make its presence felt when Notre Dame squares off with Wisconsin as part of the Shamrock Series in Week 1.
Minnesota Golden Gophers cornerback John Nestor | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Nestor spent two years in a reserve role at Iowa before making the inter-conference transfer to Minnesota, where he broke out in 2025. In 11 games, the Chicago native posted 50 tackles (33 solo), six tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, six interceptions (one pick-six) and six passes defended. Nestor wreaked havoc against Wisconsin last year, picking off two passes, making two tackles for loss and recovering a fumble in the 17-7 win.
Nestor measures well at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, bringing impressive physicality to the cornerback position. He may project as a safety at the next level, but his anticipation skills have translated into excellent takeaway production and helped establish him as one of the top returning defensive backs in the Big Ten. The Badgers will need to limit Nestor's impact when the Golden Gophers come to Madison in Week 13.
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Zach Lutmer | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Lutmer progressed from primarily contributing on special teams to a full-time defensive role in 2025, and the move paid off for the Hawkeyes. The in-state product racked up 71 tackles (44 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, a fumble recovery, three interceptions (one pick-six) and seven passes defended while starting all 13 games. His performance earned him Second-Team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and Third-Team recognition from the media.
Lutmer is listed at free safety on the depth chart but is a true Swiss Army knife at 6-foot-1 and 203 pounds, capable of playing cornerback, strong safety and Iowa's hybrid CASH position. Pure speed isn't the calling card of the fourth-year defensive back, but he's stingy in coverage, active in run defense and also slated to handle punt-returning duties. Lutmer will be a major focus of the scouting report ahead of the Badgers' road matchup with the Hawkeyes in Week 9.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
For as good as the aforementioned safety duo is for the Fighting Irish, Moore is the king of the defensive backfield in South Bend and arguably the top returning cornerback in the country. He saw significant action in 16 games as a freshman and carried that momentum into 2025, recording 31 tackles (23 solo), five interceptions (one pick-six) and seven passes defended.
The counting stats don't fully capture how lockdown the young cornerback was, as he earned First-Team All-American honors despite missing a pair of games in September due to injury.
The junior is a technician in both man and zone coverage who uses his speed and 6-foot-2, 197-pound frame to disrupt opposing wide receivers and deter quarterbacks from throwing his way. After being named a Thorpe Award finalist last year, Moore enters 2026 as a favorite to take home the hardware and could even contend for the Bednarik Award, which honors the nation's top defensive player.
Luke Fickell has said Wisconsin won't shy away from throwing to Moore's side of the field , but Colton Joseph will need to tread lightly when testing the star cornerback in Week 1 against Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as Top Five Opposing Defensive Backs Wisconsin Will Face in 2026 .
