Wisconsin football stars list Badgers potential breakout players for 2024 season

Wisconsin football stars Jake Chaney, Jack Nelson and Hunter Wohler praised a handful of promising teammates during their Big Ten media day appearance on Tuesday.

During their select panel interview with Big Ten Network, the Wisconsin trio was asked about which incoming players UW fans would know by the end of the 2024 slate.

Right off the bat, Chaney listed former Arkansas linebacker Jaheim Thomas, USC transfer linebacker Tackett Curtis and former North Carolina linebacker Sebastian Cheeks as players who may break out this season. He later named sophomore Christian Alliegro, referring to him as “an athletic freak.”

Chaney also shared a truly genuine sentiment about his position group before explaining why each athlete works so well with UW.

“I could write a book about how much I love those guys and how good they are,” Chaney said.

Next, Nelson listed redshirt sophomore Joe Brunner as someone to monitor next season.

After playing 11 games in 2023 for Wisconsin’s special teams unit, Brunner is set to start at left guard.

Nelson on Brunner:

“He’s just somebody that’s awesome to play next to… He’s got a little bit of nastiness to him. I can appreciate that playing next to him, and I’m really excited to this season.”

Wohler cited young wide receiver Trech Kekahuna, who appeared in Wisconsin’s final five games as a true freshman in 2023. He caught four balls for 64 yards, his entire season output, against No. 13 LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

“I think he’s going to be a standout this year, and I think he’s going to put the world on notice that he’s here. He’s going to make a lot of plays for us,” Wohler said.

Wisconsin begins its 2024 campaign on Aug. 30 vs. Western Michigan at Camp Randall.