Jeff Potrykus

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Madison – Wisconsin’s Zander Neuville won’t soon forget the team meeting held the last night of preseason camp in 2015.

“That was one of the best nights of my life,” said Neuville, a redshirt sophomore tight end from Waupaca.

Ryan Connelly, a redshirt sophomore linebacker from Eden Prairie, Minn., remembers that night for the same reason.

“To see your hard work pay off is a pretty cool thing,” Connelly said.

Game preview: Wisconsin vs. Georgia State

That was graduation night for Neuville and Connelly – from walk-on to scholarship athlete.

“Wisconsin is the best place to walk on,” Connelly said. “You hear that all the time. But to actually see it come true.”

Several former walk-ons should play key roles when UW (2-0) hosts Georgia State (0-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Eleven players who joined the program as walk-ons are in the two-deep: tight end Troy Fumagalli; tailback Dare Ogunbowale; inside linebackers Jack Cichy and Connelly; left tackle Ryan Ramczyk, who sat out last season after transferring from Division III UW-Stevens Point; fullback Austin Ramesh; Brett Connors, who is the No. 2 center and swing tackle; long-snapper Connor Udelhoven; Neuville, the No. 2 long-snapper; kickoff specialist P.J Rosowski; and Andrew Endicott, the No. 2 kicker for field goals and kickoffs.

Connors and Rosowski, both redshirt sophomores, are the only members of that group yet to be placed on scholarship.

“The coaches here give everyone the same opportunity,” said Connors, who had a scholarship offer from Western Illinois during his senior year at New Berlin West High School. “You’ll get as many reps as the next guy and if you have what it takes, you have what it takes.”

Consider that of the 28 UW players currently in the NFL – 24 on active rosters and four on the practice squad – a whopping 25% came to UW as walk-ons.

The seven players: wide receiver Jared Abbrederis (Packers), wide receiver Alex Erickson (Bengals), defensive back Chris Maragos (Eagles), linebacker Joe Schobert (Browns), offensive lineman Rick Wagner (Ravens), defensive end J.J. Watt (Texans) and quarterback Joel Stave (Vikings).

“I always had in my mind, especially as an in-state kid,” Neuville said, “that if you came here as a walk-on you would get a fair opportunity.

“To be a part of that walk-on tradition, with all these guys that earned scholarships, I feel honored.”

Now consider some of the players who came to UW as walk-ons and are no longer in the NFL.

That list includes offensive linemen Mark Tauscher and Joe Panos; linebacker Chad Cascadden; safety Jason Doering; and safety Jim Leonhard, in his first season as UW’s defensive backs coach.

Head coach Paul Chryst acknowledged that walk-on history is a selling point when the staff tries to convince under-the-radar players to turn down scholarship offers at smaller schools and walk on at UW.

“I think you want to paint the whole picture,” he said. “Walk-on opportunities are limited. We realize there is a financial sacrifice. But at the same time we feel good about giving them an opportunity. I think the kids know that when they come here they will be coached and get an opportunity to develop.

“That’s really all you want your program to be – that you can help develop them. You don’t develop them on your own. They have to want it. But together you develop them into the best player they can be.

“And none of us know what is in store for them down the road. But I think they do look at that and say: ‘I can be that.’”

Schobert, Erickson and Stave did and all three were captains in their senior season.

Senior safety Leo Musso isn’t surprised to see that trio in the NFL.

However, he was surprised to learn joining UW as walk-ons was the best option for all three coming out of high school.

“That does surprise me, absolutely,” he said. “But that is kind of how it goes. Wisconsin is that under-recruited state that gets a lot of guys who are just as good as guys anywhere else.”

Path to success

A look at the 28 former UW players currently in the NFL. Players who joined the UW program as a walk-on are in bold.

Jared Abbrederis, WR, Packers

Beau Allen, DL, Eagles

Jonathan Casillas, LB, Giants

Marcus Cromartie, DB, 49ers

Alex Erickson, WR, Bengals

Travis Frederick, OL, Cowboys

Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers

Ryan Groy, OL Bills

Rob Havenstein, OL, Rams

Darius Hillary, DB Bengals (practice squad)

Lance Kendricks, TE, Rams

DeAndre Levy, LB, Lions

Chris Maragos, DB, Eagles

Tyler Marz, OL, Titans (practice squad)

Tanner McEvoy, WR, Seahawks

Brad Nortman, P, Jaguars

Joe Schobert, LB, Browns

Joel Stave, QB, Vikings (practice squad)

Joe Thomas, OL, Browns

Scott Tolzien, QB, Colts

Austin Traylor, TE, Cowboys (practice squad)

Kraig Urbik, OL, Dolphins

Rick Wagner, OL, Ravens

Derek Watt, FB, Chargers

J.J. Watt, DL, Texans

James White, RB, Patriots

Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks

Kevin Zeitler, OL, Bengals



