Wisconsin star defender earns 2024 preseason All-American honors

Wisconsin star cornerback Ricardo Hallman was named to the Associated Press preseason All-America second-team defense on Monday.

He was included on the second-team defense with edge defenders Abdul Carter (Penn State) and Nic Scourton (Texas A&M), defensive tackles Tyleik Williams (Ohio State) and Deone Walker (Kentucky), linebackers Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma), Jason Henderson (Old Dominion) and Nick Martin (Oklahoma State), cornerbacks Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame) and Sebastian Castro (Iowa), and safeties Dillon Thieneman (Purdue) and Billy Bowman (Oklahoma).

Hallman is the only Wisconsin Badger to make the AP preseason first or second team on offense or defense. Other top candidates including safety Hunter Wohler and wide receiver Will Pauling did not make the cut.

The rising redshirt junior cornerback earns the honor after a breakout 2023 season. He finished with 34 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, five pass deflections and a whopping seven interceptions. That statistical production matched impressive film that included a matchup against top NFL draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr. He ended the season with an AP All-America third-team selection.

Hallman enters 2024 as the Badgers’ clear No. 1 cornerback. With the defense expected to improve around him, especially at linebacker, the Florida native could be in for an even bigger season. He will look to be the first Badger to earn an AP All-America first-team selection since ILB T.J. Edwards (2017).

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