Wisconsin Spring Ball Notes: A Good Problem to Have

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell has a problem this season. But it’s a good problem to have.

Through nine spring practices, Mitchell has showcased a deep and talented outside linebacker/edge rusher room, using a handful-plus of guys with the first-team defense. While there’s a long way to go between now and the season opener against Notre Dame, one can’t help but wonder, how will Mitchell best utilize a room that could be six-deep come September?

“I’d rather have this problem than being devoid of talent,” Mitchell told reporters on Wednesday. “I’d rather have the issue of, ‘How are we going to try and feed some of these mouths?’

“A couple things I lean on there, one, injuries are part of the game. It provides some protection for our defense and our team to be able to have that. Two, we like to rotate…It was hard even taking Mason Reiger off the field last year, but I point to subbing him out some allowed the fourth quarter Washington, the fourth quarter Illinois — him and Darryl Peterson — to be effective in the fourth quarter.

“The other thing I think you can do through the game planning process, and who you’re facing, different guys have different skillsets, different strengths, and sometimes, different weaknesses. You can work around your roster to develop a defensive game plan to be able to handle that. Having some variability with some of that depth might put our guys in positions to help our defense.

“It could potentially be a challenge. But I always preach in my room healthy competition. I don’t want you to elevate yourself by suppressing somebody else. Right now in my room, we have healthy competition.”

Through Thursday, the top three in Mitchell’s unit appeared to be seniors Tyreese Fearbry and Sebastian Cheeks, and sophomore Nicolas Clayton.

“Really do feel like we have the depth in the room. The reason those three guys, mainly, is because they have been leading,” said Mitchell. “They’ve been doing a really good leading, they’re productive, and right now, they’re available.”

Senior Justus Boone has been out the past few weeks with an injury. Mitchell also mentioned senior Micheal Garner and redshirt freshman Jaylen Williams as two others who have made big jumps. Williams, who didn’t see any game action last year, is up around 30 pounds and dabbling with the first-team unit.

“For his size, he’s a really gifted athlete,” said Mitchell. “He also has really good feel. Instincts and feel are very underrated. I think the biggest thing with Jaylen was just the physical development. Setting edges, striking guys, and being really physical at the point of attack. That physical development has allowed him to play on the edges with violence. I just think the work that he’s done through strength and conditioning and the position work, he’s put himself in a much better position, and he’s made some plays this spring.”

Mason Posa Remains Committed to Wisconsin

There’s probbaly not a program in the country that wouldn’t take Mason Posa on its roster. Prior to last season, schools such as Alabama, Oregon, and Oklahoma were trying to flip the four-star linebacker ahead of the early signing period. After a breakout freshman season in which he recorded 61.0 tackles and 4.0 sacks, Posa’s stock only increased.

Despite the 4-8 season for Wisconsin, Posa would not entertain the transfer portal.

“It’s the place I fell in love with,” said Posa. “I had 24 offers (in high school) I could have gone, really, anywhere. This place caught my eye. Coach Fick (Luke Fickell), I’m gonna ride or die with that dude…I’ll defend Badger Nation with all heart. I love this place. I’m willing to die and sacrifice anything for this program to be winning again.”

Added Strength Showing Up For Clayton

Clayton came to Madison under 200 pounds at 6-foot-5. Due to a deep playoff run during his senior season at Bucholz High School in Gainesville, on top of playing in the All-American Bowl, Clayton didn’t have much time to stack on weight before enrolling early in Madison. Despite being light for an outside linebacker, Clayton played in all 12 games for Wisconsin last season, albeit mostly on special teams.

Eating 6,000 calories per day, Clayton is now to 242 pounds and hopes to get up to 245.

“From a physical standpoint, I think he’s in a good spot,” said Mitchell. “His get-off and his pass rush — I don’t want to get Sebastian mad at me, but I think Nick Clayton might be one of my best pass rushers. Those two guys are probably 1-2 in terms of pure pass rush talent. He is getting way more violent, setting edges, and being way more disruptive in the run game. That’s where the biggest change has been from the physical development has been some of the run game dominance.”

Clayton played 15 total snaps on defense in 2025, recoding 2.0 tackles. Getting on the field in year one, Clayton appears poised to hit the ground running this fall.

“I had a feeling he was gonna have a major impact coming into this season,” said Mitchell. “Wanted to get him some Big Ten experience. Nick would have been really close to playing, had we had an injury

Fearbry Opens Up on Pre-Game Penalty vs. Iowa

Arguably the lowest point of the season for Wisconsin last season was a 38-0 home loss to Iowa. This came a year after the Hawkeyes drubbed the Badgers 42-10 in Iowa City.

Things got off to as bad a start as possible. Before kickoff, Fearbry waited for Iowa to run out of the tunnel and onto the field at Camp Randall Stadium. Jawing with the Hawkeyes and impeding their path, Fearbry was assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty before the opening kickoff.

According to Fearbry, he just got caught up in the heat of the rivalry.

“I had a chip on my shoulder. Coach Fick had given us a speech. I’m not blaming coach Fick. That’s on me. I should have controlled my emotions a lot more,” Fearbry expalined. “I felt the intensity, the energy in the stadium at the moment. I feel like I was trying to set a tone, but that was the wrong example I was trying to set.”

As mentioned, Fearbry has been a mainstay with the first-team defense throughout spring. There was one light skirmish involving Fearbry earlier in spring practice, but for the most part, he’s let his play do the talking.

“Just keeping it all together,” said Fearbry. “I know I play intense. I know I play with some energy, but I can’t let it get out of hand. I gotta be smart with everything that I do. I can’t get any flags. I can’t afford to shoot my team in the foot.”

Injured Edge Expected to Make an Impact

Arkansas transfer Justus Boone has only been available through two practices. When he returns, Mitchell expects the senior to be a factor on the defense.

“Played a lot of ball in the SEC,” said Mitchell. “Violent dude. Very violent dude. He practiced two days before he suffered the injury, and I was really impressed with that. I think the other thing with Justice, he’s really intleligent. He picked up our defense fast.”

Boone was a three-star transfer per On3. He finished with 28.0 tackles and a sack in 2025.

The X-Factor For the Wisconsin Defense

Wisconsin is pretty much set at linebacker behind Posa and Cooper Catalano, but that doesn’t mean the Badgers won’t put three on the field simultaneously. One of the most pleasant surprsies this spring has been sophomore Jon Jon Kamara, a transfer from Kansas.

Arguably the most athletic player on the roster, Kamara has been used in a variety of ways by defensive coordinator Mike Tressel and appeares to be a player the offense has to account for prior to every snap.

“He’s a fun one, and I think compliments those two (Posa and Catalano) really well,” inside linebackers coach Tuf Borland said. “I think Jon Jon, with his athleticism, gives you kind of a third backer that has that ability to play close to the edge and do some of those things, but also put him to the field and play some in space too.”