Hunter Wohler, SAF, Wisconsin
Size:
Height: 6020
Weight: 213
Arm: 30 ⅝”
Hand: 9 ¼”
Accomplishments:
First-Team All-Big Ten (2023) • Four-star recruit
“Hunter Wohler is a senior safety prospect who boasts an NFL frame, instincts in coverage, and quality run defense to make an impact as a box defender.”
Strengths:
NFL size and build
Impact run defender
Alignment-versatile strong safety
Open-field tackling
Concerns:
Sideline-to-sideline range/speed
Block shedding against the run
Hip stiffness
Film Analysis:
Hunter Wohler was a key defensive starter for the Wisconsin Badgers secondary in 2023. He wears multiple hats and aligns in different positions for the Badgers’ defense. He offers an instinctive defender who thrives at or near the line of scrimmage, working in the box. He has a versatile skill set to make his impact felt.
Wohler impacts the run game from multiple positions—in the nickel, deep safety, and big nickel/dime linebacker. He triggers and gets downhill quickly to help limit explosive plays. Wohler runs the alley well, meeting the ball-carrier in the lane and staying square during his approach. He is a reliable open-field tackler and strikes with good pop on contact. Wisconsin walked him down on the edge of the DL where he operated as an edge-setter and backside run defender. He plays with his hair on fire chasing the ball down with maximum effort. Wohler is an impactful run blitzer to clog up running lanes and cut the RB’s access to grass upfield.
Wohler is a solid pass defender with value in both man and zone coverages. He is a good spot dropper in the zone, urgently getting to his landmarks. He has good zone eyes, keeping his head on a swivel to read the routes running around his area. He effectively plays as a two-high deep safety, especially on Cover 2 calls to the boundary (short side of the field). He stays close to the route and has enough short-area burst to accelerate and meet the WR at the catch point.
Wohler’s instincts in man coverage are solid to feel the break from the WR to stay within range and make a play. He reads route leverages fairly well and maintains his leverage to funnel the route to the strength of the defensive coverage call. He covers WRs, TEs, and RBs out of the backfield effectively.
Wohler is a sufficient athlete but lacks the range to play as the single-high safety. He cannot play sideline-to-sideline and erase deep pass attempts. When dropping deep, he displays rigid hips that impact his change of direction. His hip swivels to flip and turn are not fluid or smooth—they’re segmented with wasted motion. Wohler’s eye discipline versus hard play-action is inconsistent. He will be pulled forward with false steps as a result. Cleaning this up will help his run-game value even further. Playing close to the line of scrimmage has its disadvantages for Wohler. He struggles to detach and shed blocks from climbing OL into the second level of the defense. This could limit his exposure aligned as an LB in nickel sets vs running teams.
Overall, Wohler projects as a starting strong safety in the NFL. Creative and aggressive defensive coordinators are better for Wohler as a low-hole defender playing close to the line of scrimmage. Defenses that value swarming the line of scrimmage pre-snap with simulated pressures will be a good fit for him. Place Wohler in an attacking-style defense and let him thrive.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Adequate Starter
Written By: Damian Parson
Exposures: Washington State (2023), Georgia Southern (2023), Ohio State (2023), LSU (2023)
