BadgerBlitz.com's Wisconsin player draft: Round 9

This summer, the Badgers will be divided.

That is, they'll be separated into three imaginary teams, set against each other by a BadgerBlitz.com.com Wisconsin player draft, a daily selection in which separate groups of 23 are assembled.

Over the next four weeks, BadgerBlitz.com reporters Jon McNamara, John Veldhuis and Jessi Schoville will draft Badgers, picking players one-by-one and placing them on their respective teams, trying to assemble the best 11 on offense and defense, plus one reserve.

Then, in late July, we'll decide — based on BadgerBlitz.com.com staff and member feedback — which team would win.

Who will be selected when? How will the teams develop? What reasoning will be used?

And most importantly, do you agree with the picks? Be sure to discuss in the Badgers' Den.

Ready for Round 9?

This will be a big year for Jeremy Patterson, who arrived on campus in the summer of 2014 with lofty expectations. After a redshirt season, the 6-foot-3, 340-pound nose tackle participated in just two games last fall and did not record a tackle.

Patterson is expected to enter fall camp as the No. 2 nose guard behind Olive Sagapolu. It could really be a make or break year in his career, but if things begin to "click" for Patterson, position coach Inoke Breckterfield could have another big weapon at his disposal.

“From last spring to this spring, (he’s a) different guy,” Breckterfield said of Patterson this spring. “He’s just got to continue to build, and I told him ‘I’m expecting to count on you. I want to get you some reps in there and look back and not hesitate to put you in there.’”

Since the offensive line pool was pretty picked over, I wanted to continue to put together a defensive unit that could give either opposing offense some headaches. The Badgers are an offensive lineman factory, and while there are stars like Ryan Ramczyk on the roster, the majority of the Wisconsin’s big bodies can hold their own in the trenches, so at this point I thought it was worth holding off to grab better talent at other positions.

My linebacker corps was already filling out nicely, so I wanted to focus on the outside of my defense in the making. Because the defense is so dominant for the Badgers, I thought focusing on that inherent strength would bode well in the construction of my team.

With Sojourn Shelton gone at No. 4 and Derrick Tindal at No. 18, I took the next corner, Natrell Jamerson at No. 26.

The former wide receiver is, physically, everything you want at the position; 6-foot tall and 191 pounds, Jamerson is among the tallest and biggest corners on the team. This is something that could definitely help him transition to the NFL, where big-bodied corners are becoming an ever hotter commodity. Being new to the position having transitioned in the spring of 2105, Jamerson is scheduled to be the No. 3 cornerback in rotation this fall. Though he is relatively new to the position at the collegiate level, Jamerson will be tutored by Wisconsin legend Jim Leonhard and has already shown signs of progression in his first full season at cornerback last year.

In addition to the potential he offers on defense, Jamerson has shown consistency and big play ability on special teams. On 20 returns last season he averaged 22.4 yards per attempt and let's not forget that 98-yard TD-return against Maryland last November.

In my opinion, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better 3rd corner at most programs with all Jamerson has to offer.

After focusing on the offensive side of the ball for two rounds in a row I knew I needed to pay attention to my defense. Unfortunately, focusing on building up my running game meant I had to pass on the team's best pass rushers, but I think Garret Dooley is a serviceable player at outside linebacker, so I took him to fill what I thought was a pretty big need.

Dooley has had a little trouble breaking out from the pack during his career at UW, but he showed some encouraging flashes during spring camp this year that suggest he'd be ready to step in when needed. I realize focusing on offense cost me a chance to have a dominant defense, but Dooley is a solid player who I think would fit well in the bend but don't break defense my squad would need to run.

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