MUSKEGO, Wis. — Hunter Wohler's football journey has come full circle as the Wisconsin native and Badgers standout prepares for the NFL Draft being held just two hours north of his hometown.
The safety, who led Wisconsin in tackles the past two seasons, is projected as a Day 3 selection in this year's draft, potentially going as high as the fifth round.
"When he was little, he'd run out on Sundays during half time and throw the football around to himself and come back in and watch the game as if, you know, like he was studying film," said Shelly Wohler, Hunter's mother.
Wohler first put on football pads at just six years old, and his natural talent quickly became apparent.
"He made plays that was just kind of crazy and you look back and you're like, 'Whoa,'" said Kyler Wohler, Hunter's father.
One of those standout moments came during his sophomore year at Camp Randall Stadium in the Division 1 State Championship game.
Watch: Wisconsin native Hunter Wohler's full-circle journey to the NFL Draft
"He came out of nowhere and made this tackle that I think shocked everybody, and I remember looking up at the suite and being like, 'Hey, Paul Chryst, did you see what he just did?'" said Shelly.
During his high school career at Muskego, Wohler's team went an impressive 37-0 during his three varsity seasons, capturing back-to-back state championships. His performance earned him a spot on the Wisconsin Badgers roster, bringing him back to Camp Randall Stadium.
As a Badger, Wohler continued to excel, leading all Big Ten defensive backs in tackles during his junior season.
His parents are preparing for an emotional draft day experience.
"It'll be great. It'll be exciting. It'll be fun, a lot of hugging, a lot of tears, I'm sure. And now the anxiety's over. Like, he'll now be, he'll know where he's going," said Kyler.
"I think it'll be cool because there will be a lot of Wisconsin fans there, obviously, right, like, and some who have probably followed him all along. So it'll be cool to see," said Shelly.
4.57 official 40-yard dash for @HunterWohler 🏃♂️
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) February 28, 2025
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/CpqKabbHHd
Wohler has opted for an intimate draft experience, planning to spend Saturday at home in Muskego surrounded by close friends and family as he awaits his NFL opportunity.
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