cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Vinny Anthony /Wisconsin

Vinny Anthony

WR · Wisconsin · Sr · #8

Filling the Shoesas of 2026-06-22

Vinny Anthony is a cornerstone for Wisconsin — measured against the line he joined.

391REC YDS31REC1REC TD

TEAM RECEIVING YARDS LEADER

391

Team leader in receiving yards (391).

Read the story so far

Vinny Anthony arrived as a 3-star prospect. He lines up at WR for Wisconsin.

On the field, the headline is 391 rec yds, with 31 rec.

He inherited the WR job from Will Pauling (3-star).

The number to watch: 391 — team receiving yards leader.

WR successioncontinuity
  • Inherited fromWill Pauling 3★
Why nowThe 2026 outlook is the live story — the offseason looks forward.
  • season totals
  • Team leader in receiving yards (391).
  • throne-line + Filling-the-Shoes

AI narrative · updated 2026-06-22 · compiled from CFB Zeitgeist data

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Wisconsin for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Wisconsin for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Wide receiver · Wisconsin

Returning around him

  • 40% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
  • Transfer portal: +8 net (33 in / 25 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Wisconsin · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #28 · 2026 recruiting class #27

WR · WISCONSIN · BIG TEN

Vinny Anthony

  • 4
  • #8
  • 6-0 | 190 lb
  • Louisville, KY

CFB Zeitgeist Score

54

Mid-pack in the position cohort. Carried by rec yards at the 47th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#483

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP WR AWARD

Biletnikoff

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2023–2025
99.02023
6722024
3912025

+295%

Up 295% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#735 national
CFB
College
Wisconsin
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionWR
Class4
Jersey8
Measurements6-0 | 190 lb
HometownLouisville, KY
Primary teamWisconsin

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 735 recruit
Composite rating 0.8719 HighSchool
Signed with -- 2022
Origin Louisville Male Louisville, KY, USA
Class Profile Context
2022 3-star | 0.8719 No. 735 recruit | HighSchool

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#483Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#711Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

Achievements

  • Program Benchmark 5.5% Program Benchmark Season leader for the program at the player's position across the headline volume metric (passing yards / rushing yards / receiving yards). Held by 5.5% of the 2025 pool. Team leader in receiving yards (391).

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to —

Composite

0.8719

#735 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Vinny Anthony

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

50

Mixed Sentiment

Sample 5 mentions
Confidence LOW

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 6 mentions · belief +0 · "While no Badgers were taken in the draft, 11 signed with teams as UDFAs. Mason R"Own fansNational: 1 mentions · belief -100 · "I’d say WRs have been more of a casualty. Look at Chimere Dike. Vinny Anthony is"National
  • Own fans · n=6
  • National · n=1

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Vinny Anthony

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

2025 Signature · 2025 season

Yards per reception

12.6

yds

All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions

National rank #249 of 531
Percentile vs All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions 53rd

Why it matters

#249 of 531 All FBS WRs at 12.6 yards per reception (31 catches).

Vs cohort

This player 12.6 (53th)

HIGH · n=31 cohort 531

  • Also strong
  • Receiving yards (total)#309 / 531
  • Receiving TDs#402 / 531

Signature Moment

Week 6 at Michigan — 97 ypr

Result L 10-24

The week the volume broke through — put up 97 yds at Michigan.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the receiving totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 12g
391Rec yards
31Receptions
1Rec TDs
Per game
32.6Rec yards
3Receptions
0Rec TDs
Projected (13g)
423.6Rec yards
34Receptions
1Rec TDs

To hit 700-yard receiver (currently 391): needs 309/game over remaining 1.

To hit 1,000-yard receiver (currently 391): needs 609/game over remaining 1.

To hit 60-catch season (currently 31): needs 29/game over remaining 1.

To hit 80-catch season (currently 31): needs 49/game over remaining 1.

To hit 8 receiving TDs (currently 1): needs 7/game over remaining 1.

To hit 10 receiving TDs (currently 1): needs 9/game over remaining 1.

Why the profile pops beyond receiving

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

The most interesting thing about Vinny Anthony is that he shows up in multiple game states. He is a receiver first, but the profile also includes designed touches and return-game juice, which means his value is not limited to a conventional route tree.

Current place #483 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 8.6% Overall usage share
Profile quirk All-purpose load 446 return yds

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

WR season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Receptions 31 1 rec TD | #268/1110 (76th pct)
Receiving yards 391 12.6 per catch | #294/1107 (74th pct)
Scrimmage yards 418 Total offensive yardage | #294/1107 (74th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

All-purpose weapon against FBS receiving peers.

All-purpose weapon

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Receiving

REC
31 76th
YDS
391 74th
YPR
12.6 56th
TD
1 64th

Rushing

CAR
5 78th
YDS
27 73rd
YPC
5.4 61st
TD
2 99th

Returns

KR YDS
446 91st
KR AVG
27.9 90th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 12 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppRECYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 17-0vs Miami (OH)45714.3131
Wk 2W 42-10vs Middle Tennessee45012.5016
Wk 3L 14-38@ Alabama188.008
Wk 4L 10-27vs Maryland34615.3023
Wk 6L 10-24@ Michigan99710.8027Season-high 97 yds
Wk 7L 0-37vs Iowa3165.308
Wk 8L 0-34vs Ohio State155.005
Wk 9L 7-21@ Oregon11212.0012
Wk 11W 13-10vs Washington
Wk 12L 7-31@ Indiana188.008
Wk 13W 27-10vs Illinois
Wk 14L 7-17@ Minnesota49223.0067
Total3139111.4167
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2022Wisconsin7-6HC: Jim Leonhard · Run-heavy
2023Wisconsin7-6HC: Luke Fickell · Balanced
2024Wisconsin5-7HC: Luke Fickell · Run-leaning
2025Wisconsin4-8HC: Luke Fickell · Run-heavy, slow tempo
SeasonTeam
2025Wisconsin3139112.61--
2024Wisconsin3967217.24--
2023Wisconsin10999.90--
2022Wisconsin----------
Career4 loaded seasons801,16214.55--
SeasonTeam
2025Wisconsin527446----
2024Wisconsin1441026--
2023Wisconsin11821785--
2022Wisconsin31422----
Career4 loaded seasons10631,095111--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Pass share

The player's share of a team's passing-game involvement. It is the fastest way to see whether the receiver is a true focal point or more of a complementary piece.

Role share

A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Usage 8.6% 18.4% pass-game share | #124/1137 (89th pct)
Return yards 446 1 return TD | #22/238 (91st pct)
Touchdowns 4 Across offense and returns | #396/1111 (64th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Receiving Receptions 31 #268/1110 76th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving yards 391 #294/1107 74th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving TD 1 #396/1111 64th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Yards / catch 12.6 #486/1106 56th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Kick return yards 446 #22/238 91st pct Volumevs FBS WR
Usage Pass share 18.4% #124/1137 89th pct Air-game usagevs FBS WR
Rushing Rushing yards 27 #108/397 73rd pct Volumevs FBS WR
Rushing Rushing LONG 14 #122/346 65th pct Metricvs FBS WR
Rushing Yards / carry 5.4 #155/393 61st pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Rushing Carries 5 #90/407 78th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Rushing Rush TD 2 #7/411 99th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving LONG 67 #122/1105 89th pct Metricvs FBS WR
Returns Kick return avg 27.9 #25/236 90th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Kick returns 16 #24/243 91st pct Volumevs FBS WR
Returns Kick return TD 1 #4/20 85th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Usage Passing-down usage 11.5% #160/1137 86th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS WR
Usage 2nd-down usage 10.2% #106/1137 91st pct Middle-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage 3rd-down usage 9.2% #282/1137 75th pct Money-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Role share 8.6% #168/1137 85th pct Share of team offensevs FBS WR
Usage 1st-down usage 7.9% #188/1137 84th pct Early-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Standard-down usage 7.3% #197/1137 83rd pct Base-situation sharevs FBS WR
Usage Rush share 1.2% #165/1137 86th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS WR
Ball Security Fumbles lost 0 #1/302 100th pct Turnoversvs FBS WR

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Home7g2.124.910.50.1
Road5g3.243.412.40.0

Win vs Loss

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Wins4g2.026.813.40.2
Losses8g2.935.510.90.0

First half vs Second half

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Weeks 1-76g4.045.711.00.2
Weeks 8+6g1.219.512.00.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort

54Mid-pack
8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: rush tds (95th). Strength: fumbles lost (80th). Concern: rec tds (23rd).

Rush TDs#7 / 287 · 96th pct
2rush
Fumbles lost#1 / 218 · 81st pct
0fumb
Long catch#112 / 558 · 80th pct
67rece
Rush yards#92 / 287 · 68th pct
27rush
Receptions#268 / 558 · 51st pct
31rece
Rec yards#294 / 558 · 47th pct
391rece
Yards / catch#297 / 558 · 46th pct
12.6rece
Rec TDs#373 / 558 · 24th pct
1rece

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · WR · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 8 metrics
Vinny AnthonyWisconsinHank BeattyIllinois· 74% simAaron TurnerRice· 71% simDevin VoisinSouth Alabama· 69% sim
Rush TDs
96
Anthony
85
Beatty
99
Turner
Fumbles lost
81
Anthony
81
Beatty
81
Turner
81
Voisin
Long catch
80
Anthony
74
Beatty
65
Turner
78
Voisin
Rush yards
68
Anthony
79
Beatty
98
Turner
Receptions
51
Anthony
96
Beatty
92
Turner
95
Voisin
Rec yards
47
Anthony
91
Beatty
48
Turner
87
Voisin
Yards / catch
46
Anthony
42
Beatty
1
Turner
35
Voisin
Rec TDs
24
Anthony
57
Beatty
68
Turner
68
Voisin

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Possession Receiver

Reliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive.

WR

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Mike Brown-Stephens’s 2021 season.

Mike Brown-Stephens

90%match

Minnesota · 2021

#2

Nico Ragaini

Iowa · 2021

88%
#3

Jaylan Sanchez

James Madison · 2025

86%
#4

Mike Brown-Stephens

South Florida · 2023

86%
#5

Isaiah Esdale

West Virginia · 2021

84%

Matches Mike on

Height
Yards / reception
Reception volume

Differs from Mike on

Class year (higher)

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Jalen Kelsey’s path through Campbell.

Jalen Kelsey

98%match

Campbell · 2022

#2

Lujuan Winningham

Central Arkansas · 2021

96%
#3

Jermaine Jackson

Idaho · 2023

95%
#4

Jacob Harris

UCF · 2020

94%
#5

Dai'Jean Dixon

Nicholls · 2021

94%

Matches Jalen on

Yards per reception

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Kobe Paysour's senior season at North Carolina (2025).

Kobe Paysour

84%match

North Carolina · 2025

#2

Keelan Marion

BYU · 2024

All-Big 12
84%
#3

Octavian Smith Jr.

Maryland · 2025

81%
#4

RJ Garcia II

Bowling Green · 2025

80%
#5

Kobe Drake

Memphis · 2024

78%

Matches Kobe on

Total EPA (college ability)
Reception volume
Yards / reception

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Luke Fickell

Pass share

39.7%

272 pass / 413 run

Plays / game

57.1

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

10.8%

249 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-heavy, slow tempo.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

2 coaches
2022
Jim Leonhard
Wisconsin
2023
Luke Fickell
Wisconsin
era →
2024
Luke Fickell
Wisconsin
2025
Luke Fickell
Wisconsin

Coaching transition mid-career: Jim Leonhard → Luke Fickell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownLouisville, KY
Height6'0"
Weight190 lb
Class4
PositionWR
Jersey8

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Wisconsin WR4 #483 #711 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Big Ten
2023 Wisconsin WR4 #1893 #2010 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Big Ten
2022 Wisconsin WR4 #3323 #3259 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Big Ten

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Wisconsin Big Ten WR 4 No. 8 | 6-0 | 190 lb | Louisville, KY
2024 Wisconsin Big Ten WR 4 No. 8 | 6-0 | 190 lb | Louisville, KY
2023 Wisconsin Big Ten WR 4 No. 8 | 6-0 | 190 lb | Louisville, KY
2022 Wisconsin Big Ten WR 4 No. 8 | 6-0 | 190 lb | Louisville, KY