Over the years there have been some great players that have come out of Wisconsin, and even some players who have and will end up in the NFL.

Wisconsin has always been known as a state that has great offensive linemen. Some of the most notable ones according to packerswire.usatoday.com are Joe Thomas from Brookfield, Mark Tauscher from Marshfield, Tom Newberry, and Mike Webster. Joe Thomas is probably the best offensive linemen to come out of Wisconsin, as he made the All-Decade Team in the NFL for the 2010s decade according to packerswire.usatoday.com. Many people also know about Mark Tauscher, as he played many years for the Green Bay Packers.

Melvin Gordon is the most notable skill position player coming out of Wisconsin. Gordon attended high school in Kenosha and was a stand-out for the Wisconsin Badgers before getting drafted to the San Diego Chargers and now plays on the Denver Broncos. Gordon was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy according to packerswire.usatoday.com. Gordan was one of the many quality running backs in recent history for the Wisconsin Badgers. He is currently a dynamic running back in the NFL that has been sought after by many NFL teams.

On defense, the most notable player to come out of Wisconsin is JJ Watt from Pewaukee who plays for the Houston Texans at defensive end. Watt has been in the conversation for most of his NFL career as being the best defensive player in the NFL. According to packerswire.usatoday.com, Watt has made five Pro Bowls and has been a first-team All-Pro five times as well. Watt also made the All-Decade Team for the NFL in the 2010s according to packerswire.usatoday.com. Despite being such a decorated NFL player today, JJ Watt was initially a walk-on at Wisconsin and got no attention from any big-time colleges coming out of high school.

JJ Watt is the essence of an underdog story in the way his NFL career has developed. Watt’s younger brother TJ is also a great player to come out of Wisconsin. TJ currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers at linebacker and has made two Pro Bowls in only three seasons in the NFL according to packerswire.usatoday.com. Trae Waynes, a defensive back from Kenosha, is another notable player who is currently having an impact in the NFL. Waynes was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round and currently plays for the Cincinnati Bengals and has had seven interceptions in his career as well as breaking up passes 42 times according to packerswire.usatoday.com.

The hope for any football player is to make it to the NFL. Wisconsin, for not have a large population, has produced a lot of NFL talent. Hopefully, some of the players currently playing in high school in Wisconsin can make the list of great football players coming from Wisconsin!

Source:

Kruse, Zach. “Homegrown Legends: Wisconsin’s Greatest Products Come Home as Virtual Packers.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 7 Oct. 2020, packerswire.usatoday.com/lists/homegrown-legends-best-nfl-players-from-milwaukee-green-bay-wisconsin/.