Throughout the spring, two relatively unfamiliar players patrolled the defensive backfield at safety for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Natrell Jamerson and Joe Ferguson exhausted their eligibility after last season, and redshirt senior D’Cota Dixon did not participate as he was recovering from right shoulder surgery. That opened a window for Scott Nelson and Patrick Johnson, both of whom are looking to start opposite Dixon this upcoming season, to receive extra reps as the “first-team” safeties.
For Johnson, who dealt with a frustrating and disappointing 2017 season due to injuries, the message was crystal-clear about being back on the field.