By just about every metric, Wisconsin football has more freak athletes on its team ahead of the 2026 season. Talk to the coaches, watch a practice or even simply look at the roster; all indications are that the Badgers have significantly upgraded the overall athleticism on their team prior to head coach Luke Fickell's fourth lap around the track with Wisconsin. The Badgers had plenty of deficiencies last fall, a vast majority of which were due to personnel shortcomings. With a revamped (and financially bolstered) roster, Wisconsin has taken steps to ensure that's not the case again. Specifically, the Badgers have infused size, speed and length into several key positions. This offseason, that's been most noticeable in the trenches on both sides of the ball and in the defensive backfield. The influx of tantalizing athletic traits is one of many reasons why optimism abounds in Madison ahead of an immensely critical season for Badger football. But it also has some pundits on a national level taking notice — specifically, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman. Feldman's Freaks List Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectFeldman is one of the most seasoned and well-respected college football scribes out there, but his name has also become synonymous with his annual "Freaks List," a 20-plus years and counting preseason ranking of the top-100 athletic freaks in the sport. The top of the list is often populated by names college football fans should know immediately, like Ohio State wideout Jeremiah Smith, South Carolina receiver Nyck Harbor and Miami offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell. Three Badgers made the list this fall after just two made the 2025 edition. All three are transfers: defensive lineman Junior Poyser (No. 46), running back Abu Sama (No. 53) and cornerback Javan Robinson (No. 77). Sama is the least surprising addition here. He boasts a deep bag of ankle-breaking moves in the open field while still running behind his pads with plenty of power. As for Poyser and Robinson, we knew they were gifted athletes, both of whom were plenty productive at their previous schools. But it's very encouraging to see them both essentially in the top-50. Which other Badgers are "Freaks List" candidates? Wisconsin WR Malachi Coleman. | Christian Borman. Here's a handful of other Badgers that are candidates for Feldman's "Freaks List."QB Colton Joseph — Joseph is very much an above-average athlete at the quarterback position who's been clocked running 21-plus miles-per-hour on a run last fall. WR Malachi Coleman — At 6-foot-5, with blazing speed, Coleman drips unique athletic potential. I haven't seen any testing numbers from the former consensus top-65 recruit nationally, but they have to be off the charts with that frame and those wheels. TE Jacob Harris — Harris hasn't shown a whole lot in camp, but he's still a 6-foot-6, 270 pound tight end who's primarily a receiving threat. He's got soft hands and wiggle in the open field, but his speed, strength and agility numbers may not match his freakish play on the turf. DL Charles Perkins — If Perkins can keep his weight down, he can be a problem for just about any interior offensive lineman that he goes against. The big man has a relentless motor when he gets going and is surprisingly agile for how heavy and strong he is. LBs Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano — While they're both athletic freaks for slightly different reasons (Posa's has more to do with his wrestling background while Catalano's is about speed and instincts), both have a very strong argument to be on this list if you've watched them play even a handful of snaps. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow