The Wisconsin Badgers got some unfortunate news earlier in spring ball, as Emerson Mandell suffered a lower-body injury that required a minor procedure, keeping him out for the rest of the spring. Mandell was seen in a walking boot over the last week of practices, and should be ready for the fall.

In his presence, the Badgers have shifted things up a bit on the offensive line, with sophomore Blake Cherry, an Arkansas transfer, taking over at left guard, while Colin Cubberly shifted over to right guard.

Cherry was a highly-touted recruit heading into this offseason, as he was one of the more promising true freshmen with the Arkansas Razorbacks last year. Offensive line coach Eric Mateos brought him along to Madison, and he’s made an early impression as an emerging player on the offensive line.

“[He’s] another second-year guy. He’s only been here for one, but those are the guys that, [in] this league, there’s a lot of things you gotta fall upon their shoulders,” head coach Luke Fickell said of Cherry.

“It’s the toughest for 19-year-olds to play in this league. But he has done it. I mean, he has not missed a day. He’s one of those guys that if I totaled up his reps, I would imagine he’d be up there as high as anybody on the team because I know in the scrimmages on Saturday, if the ones get 20 reps, he got 28 reps, and the following week if the ones got 24 reps, he got 32 reps. I mean, the guards, him and Cub (Colin Cubberly) and those guys have taken a lot of reps as they continue to roll with the ones and the twos, and I think that’s gonna benefit us in the long haul.”

It’s unclear whether Cherry will push to start this year with Cubberly and Mandell at guard, but he’s at least provided some key competition in the room, showcasing what the future could look like in Madison if he develops.

There’ve been a couple of second-year players emerging this offseason. Cherry is one of them.