Wisconsin football is set to open fall camp later that week in Madison, and the early competition for the 2026 campaign already has a few clear talking points. During spring camp, Hopkins earned reps with the second-team offense, while Scott was one of the most talked-about players as spring football, summer workouts and Big Ten Media Days helped shape the first read on the roster.
That makes Hopkins one of the names to watch as camp begins. He is not being framed as a finished product, but Jeff Grimes said the quarterback has the kind of presence that can help him get on the field. Grimes said Hopkins has to come in ready and with the mindset that he will be in the mix, and he noted that most players at all positions cannot do that because they are not mentally capable, confident enough or physically ready.
Grimes also pointed to the traits that separate Hopkins from a typical depth-chart option. He said Hopkins has the intangible qualities that make him capable of coming in and contributing, adding that he has a cool vibe and energy that teammates respond to. Those are not guarantees of a role, but they are the sort of traits that often matter when a staff is sorting through early quarterback reps.
What Hopkins' role could mean
The next checkpoint is straightforward: fall camp. If Hopkins can build on the second-team work he received in spring camp, he could feasibly win the QB2 job that month. That would not settle the entire quarterback picture for Wisconsin football, but it would give the staff a clearer pecking order heading into the 2026 campaign.
For now, the story is less about a final answer and more about early momentum. Hopkins and Scott are among the players drawing the most offseason attention, and camp in Madison should provide the clearest look yet at how the depth chart is taking shape. In a year where the Badgers are still sorting through roster questions, the second-team quarterback battle is one of the first places to watch.
