An injury cut Rachad Wildgoose’s 2020 season short, not allowing the former Wisconsin cornerback to show what kind of play he had become. But Wildgoose was the star of the Badgers Pro Day Wednesday posting some of the best marks of the 10 players that worked out.

Wildgoose ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, a number that would have been topped by just four cornerbacks at last year’s NFL Combine. His 3-cone shuttle time of 7.0 seconds and his vertical of 36.0” would have both been in the top-10. Wildgoose felt he also killed it in the positional drills that NFL teams put him through. But it was the 40-yard dash that had him beaming when he spoke with reporters afterwards.

“The other stuff is just repetition,” Wildgoose said. “But the forty is something that can change based on how you’re feeling. If you’re nervous, if you’re having an anxiety attack. I feel like the forty is one that could waver depending on what you’ve got going on in your personal life. That’s the one I’m proud of today.”

A shoulder injury suffered against Northwestern ended Wildgoose’s season in November. It meant that he ended up playing in less than 1 ½ games this year. He declared for the NFL Draft anyway, largely due to the support he got from defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

“After (fall) camp he was telling me, ‘Bro, if you can keep this up, the whole world is going to know what I know,’” Wildgoose said. “I talked with my parents about it and just me also believing in my skills and watching myself develop and feeling ready enough physically and mentally, so when I got coach Leonhard’s support, I was all in.”

Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk watched Wildgoose over the last three seasons and sees him as a guy that can make it in the NFL.

“I think Goose is a great player,” Loudermilk said Wednesday. “Young, too. He’s still someone who is going to be able to learn a lot, he’s going to grow a lot. I think any team would be lucky to have him. The kind of athlete he is, the kind of person and teammate. I think no matter who gets him is going to be excited with the person they get.”

During his 24 games at Wisconsin, Wildgoose was used in a variety of ways as he collected 57 tackles, 14 passes defended and one interception. Leonhard felt he was one of his biggest weapons on defense, adaptable enough to play inside and outside. The 5-foot-11 Wildgoose believes that experience will come in handy at the next level.

“To an NFL defense, I’m going to bring confidence, energy and I feel like I’m versatile,” Wildgoose said. “I can play nickel, corner, safety. They can move me around and get big plays all around the field from me.”

Full workout numbers

Official numbers from Wisconsin’s Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/8z5BK9VIfl

— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) March 10, 2021