2026 Player Projections: Chris Brooks Jr.’s Ceiling and Floor
Can Chris Brooks Jr. finally break out and become one of the Badgers' top receiving targets this season?
Welcome to our annual Ceilings and Floors series at The Badger Backer, where we map out the statistical spectrum for Wisconsin’s key contributors ahead of the 2026 season.
For every player, we look at the absolute best-case scenario if everything clicks, followed by the baseline floor if the transition hits a rocky patch.
Every successful football team needs a “glue guy,” a player whose value to the coaching staff and locker room far exceeds what shows up in the box score. For the Wisconsin Badgers, that player is fifth-year senior wide receiver Chris Brooks Jr.
The St. Louis native has taken a long, arduous road to prominence in Madison. After battling nagging injuries early in his career, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound wideout finally broke through in 2025 by staying completely healthy and starting 10 games. While his raw output of 11 catches for 124 yards was modest due to erratic quarterback play, his structural impact on the offense was monumental. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes didn’t mince words last fall, calling Brooks “maybe the best blocking wide receiver I’ve been around.”
Now, entering his final year of eligibility, Brooks’ veteran status was punctuated by the staff selecting him to represent the Badgers at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. With a clean slate under new wide receivers coach Ari Confesor and hopefully a steady presence at quarterback this season, Brooks has a golden opportunity to prove he is more than just a perimeter blocker.
The Badger Backer 2026 Projections Series
Mapping out the statistical spectrum for Wisconsin’s key contributors ahead of the 2026 season.
Catch up on the rest of our 2026 player projections below:
Quarterback:
Running Back:
Wide Receiver:
