Wisconsin football 2020 returnee profile: Isaiah Mullens

During the summer doldrums of sports news, many college football fans are starved for news and information regarding their favorite teams.

With that in mind, we at B5Q have decided to take a more detailed look at each walk-on contributor and scholarship player on the Wisconsin Badgers football roster for 2020 in a running feature, our 2020 returnee profiles.

Each weekday we will breakdown one player on the football roster to look back at their recruiting process, their career as a Badger to this juncture and lastly preview their potential contribution to the team in 2020 and beyond.

Next up, Isaiah Mullens.

Name: Isaiah Mullens

Position: defensive end

2020 eligibility: redshirt sophomore

Recruiting info out of HS: 247 composite 3-star, No. 36 strong side defensive end, Columbus, Ohio

2018 recruitment: A native of Columbus, Ohio, the Badgers went into Ohio State’s backyard to secure the commitment of Mullens. The 3-star defensive end committed to Wisconsin in May of his junior year, choosing the Badgers over Iowa, Purdue, Indiana, Louisville and Iowa State among others. Mullens was a solid prospect, ranked as the No. 36 strong side defensive end in the country and visited Madison on December 9, 2017.

Career statistics: one game played, one tackle

2019 statistics: one game played, one tackle

Player overview: After redshirting his first year on campus, Mullens barely played as a redshirt freshman last season. He saw action in only one game and finished with one tackle in his first season of eligibility. Mullens wasn’t a flashy recruit and has always been someone that would need a few years of development to make an impact on the defensive line. At 6-foot-4 and 283 pounds, he has a good frame for Wisconsin’s 3-4 defensive end position and is someone to watch out for during fall camp.

Best case scenario for 2020: Mullens has a great fall camp and earns a some playing time at defensive end on passing downs. The Columbus native outplays fellow redshirt sophomores C.J. Goetz and Boyd Dietzen to earn a role as a reliable back up to starters Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand. Mullens plays in every game, finishes with 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, and positions himself to be a starter at defensive end in 2021.

Likely role on team in 2020: The redshirt sophomore will likely be one of a handful of defensive linemen, along with Goetz, Dietzen and redshirt freshmen Gio Paez and Rodas Johnson, who will be fighting for playing time behind the starters. With such a log jam at the position, Mullens likely won’t play much in 2020 but the Badgers will need him for depth as both Loudermilk and Rand have a history of injuries during their time at Wisconsin.