- Wisconsin Badgers running back Cade Yacamelli and defensive back Austin Brown were named to The Athletic’s “Freaks List” for their impressive athleticism.
- Yacamelli, despite limited playing time, averaged 8.3 yards per carry last season and boasts impressive speed and strength.
- Brown, a returning defensive leader, is expected to have a breakout season following the departure of Hunter Wohler to the NFL.
- Both players are veterans from the previous coaching regime and are poised for significant contributions in the upcoming season.
The Wisconsin Badgers have a few under-the-radar top-tier athletes entering the 2025 football season, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman.
His annual ‘Freaks List‘ included two Wisconsin veterans: running back Cade Yacamelli and defensive back Austin Brown.
Yacamelli, first, enters his redshirt junior season ready for a breakout. The former three-star recruit tallied a whopping 8.3 yards per carry in limited action last season, finishing with 274 rushing yards and 309 total yards from scrimmage.
While the Badgers are extremely talented in the backfield, with sophomore Darrion Dupree and redshirt freshman Dilin Jones also battling for the lead workload, Yacamelli is flying under the radar as one of the Badgers’ more exciting athletes on offense. Feldman highlights exactly why:
“The 5-10, 220-pounder is a very explosive athlete. This offseason, he ran a 4.40 40, but that probably wasn’t his most impressive number. He did 10-9 3/4 inches on the broad jump, clocked a 3.96 shuttle time, squatted 635 pounds, vertical jumped 37 1/2 inches and did 33 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. His backfield mate, fullback Jackson Acker, is also pretty Freaky, a 6-2, 248-pounder who clocked a 4.50 40.”
The distribution of carries in Wisconsin’s backfield is worth watching as fall camp concludes and the 2025 season kicks off. While Jones and Dupree may lead most depth chart projections, Yacamelli’s starting potential should not be discounted.
Next, senior Austin Brown returns as one of the Badgers’ defensive leaders. He tallied 51 tackles, two for loss, one sack, three pass deflections and a forced fumble in a prominent role last season. With standout safety Hunter Wohler off to the NFL, Brown is poised to break out further as one of the unit’s statistical leaders.
Here’s Feldman’s explanation of the veteran safety’s inclusion on his list:
“The 6-2, 214-pound Brown is really gifted. This offseason, he clocked a 4.40 40, vertical jumped 41 inches and broad jumped 10-8. He also squatted 585 pounds and did 21 reps of 225 on the bench. On the field, the former high school quarterback and standout basketball player had 51 tackles last year with three pass breakups, one sack, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery.”
Yacamelli and Brown are two of the few remaining holdovers from the Paul Chryst regime. If Feldman’s season preview is any indication, each could be in for career years, helping to lead Wisconsin in year three under Luke Fickell.
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