Wisconsin football: Badgers confirm position changes for T.J. Watt, D'Cota Dixon

The Wisconsin Badgers released their official roster at the program's annual football media day on Sunday, highlighted by a handful of position and personnel changes.

Among the position changes were sophomore D'Cota Dixon moving to safety, redshirt sophomores T.J. Watt and Garret Dooley to outside linebacker and junior Arthur Goldberg bouncing out from nose guard to defensive end.

Watt played tight end for the past two seasons but is coming off an injury-riddled spring. Chryst hopes the change is for the best for the redshirt sophomore.

"I don't know if it's a final move yet for him, but it's a game of chance while he's recovering to get a feel for that position, and I think he's a guy that can add value to our team and maybe on the defensive side of the ball might be the best way for it," Chryst said.

Dixon was listed on the Wisconsin athletics website as a cornerback recently and played inside linebacker for the Badgers as a freshman in 2014 before shoulder surgery in September sidelined him for the rest of the season.

"Right now, the hardest part has been learning the playbook at the new position," Dixon told B5Q Sunday.

Badgers head coach Paul Chryst also confirmed that redshirt senior Tanner McEvoy will play both safety and wide receiver, though listed officially at the former.

Among other changes on the roster:

• As reported last week, inside linebacker Kellen Jones is on the Wisconsin roster. The Clemson transfer is listed at 6'0, 230 pounds and should provide depth to a position helmed by junior Leon Jacobs and redshirt freshman T.J. Edwards
• Senior defensive linemen James Adeyanju was not on the roster handed out by the athletic communications staff Sunday. Per BadgerNation.com's Ben Worgull, Adeyanju will transfer to Central Washington.
• True freshman Arrington Farrar is now at safety, though he was originally pegged at outside linebacker
• As noted by BadgerBlitz.com's Jon McNamara, true freshman Jake Whalen moves from fullback to outside linebacker
• Two former Division III players have joined the Badgers. Sophomore wide receiver Ricky Finco (5'8, 185 pounds, Wisconsin-Whitewater) and junior offensive lineman Ryan Ramczyk (6'6, 297 pounds, Wisconsin-Stevens Point) are on the Wisconsin roster.

Chryst foreshadowed the possibility for more changes over the course of fall camp, which begins Monday.

"I would think through the course of camp there will be one or two (changes)," Chryst said. "I don't know what they are. But I think it's our job to make sure we're using each player that's good for him, that's got to be right for the player but also what's best for this team."

As of Sunday afternoon, the official roster at UWBadgers.com did not reflect the changes.