Ricardo Hallman and Wisconsin's secondary will be a strength in 2024

The Badgers' defense will go as far as Hallman takes them.

Dec 27, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into 2024, the strength of Wisconsin's roster lies in the secondary. Veteran safety Hunter Wohler and cornerback Ricardo Hallman were both rated 90+ overall in Wednesday's EA Sports College Football 25 ratings reveal. That's not real life, but it likely will translate to the football field where Hallman has a chance to become a household name this season.

After redshirting as a true freshman in 2021, Hallman got his full-time chance the following season as he started eight games for the Badgers. He had his ups and downs, earning a 61.1 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, but he showcased his talent. Last season, he started all 13 games and showed he can be one of the best cornerbacks in the country.

In 880 snaps for the season, he earned a career-high 83.5 PFF grade. He tied for the most interceptions in the country with seven, made 34 total tackles and added three tackles for loss. He was rewarded with AP Third Team All-American and All-Big Ten third-team honors.

"That was an amazing feeling man, coming off my redshirt freshman year and just being lost, like, 'What's football going to look like for me in the future if I don't do well? It was a surreal moment, going through the downs and the inconsistencies I had throughout my redshirt freshman year led me through this journey," Hallman told Rohan Chakravarthi in an interview this offseason.

Heading into the 2024-25 season, he was given a 91 overall on the new EA Sports College Football 25 video game, which ranks him as the ninth-best cornerback in the entire game. The expectations are high for Hallman, but some of the pressure to perform is relieved with the fact that he'll be surrounded by talented player in the secondary.

Wohler (90 overall) was the only other Badgers player to rank as a top-100 player in the game, but Wisconsin also returns cornerbacks Nyzier Fourqurean and Austin Brown, as well as safety Kamo'i Latu, which makes a tantalizing group in the last level of the defense.

"I am really excited about our secondary because we are returning really everybody, besides [Travion Blalock]," Hallman said. "It's another year for these guys to grow with each other, be more comfortable, I am really excited for the season, you know Coach Fick[ell] has a vision and I trust and believe in the process that he puts in front of us and the plan that he has."

EA Sports believes that Hallman is the best overall player on Wisconsin's roster, and he just might have the traits to take them over the hump in 2024. With another big season as a redshirt junior, he has a chance to hear his name called very early in the 2025 NFL draft.