Jeff Potrykus

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - One item on Jim Leonhard’s to-do list when spring practice opened March 14 was to identify candidates to bolster a secondary that had lost two starters.

The first name was expected — cornerback Nick Nelson, who sat out last season after transferring from Hawaii.

Nelson, who started 21 games in two seasons at Hawaii and will be a redshirt junior in the fall, is expected to replace Sojourn Shelton on the No. 1 unit.

The second name was a bit of a surprise — Natrell Jamerson.

Jamerson, who will be a senior, played wide receiver as a freshman in 2014 and has been a nickel cornerback for the last two seasons.

Leonhard’s first significant move this spring was shifting Jamerson to safety as UW looked to replace starter Leo Musso.

“It is something I had thought about last year a little bit,” Leonhard said.

Leonhard discussed the idea with then-defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.

After Wilcox left to take over the California program and Leonhard took over UW’s defense, he decided to look at Jamerson at safety.

“It wasn’t going to happen a year ago but we were going to play around with it this spring,” he said. “He brings a different type of athleticism to the position.”

Jamerson, 6 foot and 194 pounds, missed six games last season after suffering a broken fibula in his left leg in Week 2 against Akron. He finished with 19 tackles and four passes broken up.

“He is also probably, pound for pound, the strongest guy on the team,” Leonhard said. “So it’s not going to be a physical thing as far as whether he will tackle. It is just the mental side, learning it.”

Leonhard believes Jamerson’s experience at nickel cornerback will help ease the transition to safety.

“He has played inside as a corner,” Leonhard said. “We put a lot on those guys as far as communication and understanding the defense.

“So he is ahead. He has a very good understanding of this defense.”

Nelson, 5-11 and 207, broke up six passes and recorded 31 tackles as a freshman at Hawaii. He started eight of the 10 games he played.

Nelson started all 13 games as a sophomore in 2015 and finished with 15 passes broken up and 53 tackles.

Nelson recorded nine tackles and one pass broken up in a 28-0 loss at UW in Week 4.

Nelson’s work on the scout team last season impressed the staff.

“The thing that surprised me is, being a guy who had started for two years and having to redshirt last year, the approach he took,” Leonhard said. “He came out to get better. He didn’t just put in the time to try to get through the season.

“It was pretty impressive, his attitude toward everything. Now this year he has taken it up another notch.”