RJ Delancy III continues the recent history of University of Wisconsin football cornerbacks from South Florida, even if he didn’t initially sign with the Badgers out of high school.
Delancy, who transferred to Wisconsin from Toledo this offseason, played at Miami Northwestern and was a consensus three-star recruit in the 2020 class. He now joins others from the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area to find their way to Madison in the last decade, including: Derrick Tindal, Dontye Carriere-Williams, Faion Hicks, Rachad Wildgoose, Semar Melvin, James Williams, Ricardo Hallman and 2024 four-star signee Xavier Lucas.
“I wasn’t here when he first got here — I was obviously in my (shoulder) surgery — but from what I heard even when he first got here, it was such an attack mindset,” Hallman said of Delancy. “And I loved the mindset he’s brought. He brought that veteran maturity and that competitiveness and just a little bit of swagger to our room.
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“He’s been awesome. Being from the same place, we knew each other a little bit before I got here, so it’s been awesome to see how he’s been taking it. He’s been having an amazing spring. He’s been doing awesome, competing really well, and then he’s doing a great job. Him and Nyzier (Fourqurean) are both setting the standard for the younger guys at what they’re supposed to be. So I’m really excited for him and what he can do this year, and I think he’s adjusted so well here, and everybody loves him.”
Here are five things to know about Delancy.
RJ Delancy III is no stranger to the Big Ten
Delancy initially committed and signed with Nebraska during Scott Frost’s tenure in Lincoln. He played three games as a Husker during the truncated 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic before deciding to enter the transfer portal. He eventually moved on to the MAC, where he played for Toledo between 2021-23.
“What made me actually leave Nebraska, it was the COVID year and stuff was just going downhill over there,” Delancy said. “(I) went to Toledo, had a good relationship with coach (Jason) Candle. (I) just had to go over there and work and show coach Candle my skills and stuff.”
Delancy has had the opportunity to play against Big Ten competition while at a Group of Five program. Toledo played Ohio State (2022) and Illinois (2023) in the last two seasons, nearly upsetting the Fighting Illini in Champaign last September. That experience stood out, according to Wisconsin cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes, who said the program was looking for a player who could cover and run.
“So as our recruiting staff goes through all the film, just watching guys and watching guys and watching guys, RJ was a guy that showed those things,” Haynes said. “And when you look at a program like Toledo that’s playing some Big Ten games, you can watch him against Big Ten opponents and seeing him run stride-for-stride with guys and things like that. So he fit everything that we do.”
What made Delancy transfer to Wisconsin
Delancy finished his time at Toledo with 62 tackles, two interceptions and 16 passes defended in 38 games. He entered the transfer portal and took an official visit to Wisconsin in January. He eventually announced his intentions to join the Badgers on Jan. 8. He was one of 12 transfers the program welcomed to Madison this offseason.
“I came here, the environment was good, the coaching was tremendous,” said Delancy, who is listed as a fifth-year senior by Wisconsin. “Just everything about Wisconsin, it was just a W.”
Delancy is already seeing early results at Wisconsin (part 1)
There’s a noticeable change in Delancy’s physical appearance in his three months with the Badgers. Toledo listed him at 6 foot and 180 pounds on last season’s roster, and though Wisconsin’s spring roster shows only an eight-pound increase, it’s been an even greater change.
Delancy credited both Wisconsin’s strength and conditioning staff, along with football performance dietician Sophie Pomrehn.
“My body changed tremendously,” Delancy said. “Coach Brady (Collins) is a great coach (from) the weight room standpoint. I came here at 174 (pounds), and now my body weight is like 194, so that’s a big difference. And coach Brady is just that guy.”
Delancy is already seeing early results at Wisconsin (part 2)
Defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Mike Tressel praised Delancy on April 3, calling him “very businesslike.” The transfer cornerback primarily received second-team reps during the early portions of Wisconsin’s spring schedule, but within the last week, that’s changed to first-team snaps.
Delancy is versatile after playing at outside corner and nickel back for Toledo, but he’s been more than solid in covering Wisconsin’s wide receivers exclusively on the outside through nine spring practices.
“I know he played nickel at Toledo, but we were always looking at him as a corner just because we needed the depth there at corner,” Haynes said. “And again, the same things I said before, he showed on film playing on the outside and playing against some Big Ten opponents that we saw that he can cover and run.
“Plus again, talking with the kid, he’s very competitive. Kid from Miami Northwestern who has a lot of tradition, tough, hard-nosed, nasty guys, and those are again, you know coach Fickell, those are the type of guys that he wants.”
Delancy has added depth to Wisconsin’s secondary
Delancy’s presence also helps solidify something that was missing from the Badgers’ cornerback room last season. Hallman played 880 snaps in 2023, according to PFF, while Fourqurean was second at the position with 453. Alexander Smith, who was listed as a sixth-year senior by Wisconsin last year was the only other outside cornerback with significant time on the field with a reported 383 snaps. The outlet also reported that Jason Maitre, who played primarily as the starting nickel back, received 646 snaps.
“Getting RJ in was a good addition for us, and then you got Jace (Arnold) and Jonas (Duclona) that are playing a lot more reps and playing a lot better,” Haynes said. “So the depth is a little bit better. I think it’s four to five guys that we feel good about that can go in there and win a game for us.”
Photos: Wisconsin football grinds through its 9th spring practice
Running back Gideon Ituka participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Running back Nate White participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Wide receiver Trech Kekahuna participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Wide receiver Vinny Anthony II participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Outside linebacker Thomas Heiberger participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Outside linebacker Leon Lowery Jr. participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Defensive lineman Elijah Hills, left, participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Center Jake Renfro participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
Jake Kocorowski | Wisconsin State Journal
Wide receiver Alex Moeller participates in a drill during Wisconsin football’s spring practice Thursday.
