Most Important Badgers No. 22: Jordan Fredrick

Wisconsin Badgers beat writer Jesse Temple will be analyzing the 30 most important players to the Badgers' success in the 2015 season. Check back each weekday to see the latest player on the list.

Note: This is not a list of the team's 30 best players or a series about past success, but rather which of them means the most to how Wisconsin will fare this year. Criteria such as depth at that player's position, general expectations and overall importance of that player having a good season are all highly considered. The list does not include incoming freshmen because their potential impact is unknown at this time.

No. 22 -- Jordan Fredrick, wide receiver

Why he's No. 22

With 41 career games and 12 starts under his belt, Fredrick is among the most experienced players on the entire football team. And, quite frankly, the statistics are not really indicative of his full value to the program. He has caught 40 passes for 428 yards with one touchdown in three seasons, though he hasn't caught a touchdown in the past 27 games.

Where Fredrick has excelled, however, is as a blocking wide receiver. It is a trait that goes largely unnoticed because it doesn't show up in the box score. But last season, for example, Fredrick routinely blocked a safety at the right time to spring tailback Melvin Gordon for a big run. Or he served as the lead blocker on one of the team's ammo screen passes that went to Alex Erickson for a nice gain.

Fredrick said the key to all that success was simply effort rather than great technique.

"Just going all out every single play," he said in November. "Throughout my three years, I've kind of learned that the first year you're trying to play so well for yourself, kind of make a big name for yourself. But really you're playing for more than that. There's a lot of livelihoods at stake. With the coaches. With the players. With just people throughout the program. So really just playing not for yourself but for other people. The running backs, O-line. You get some more respect also that way, and you just kind of build from there."

There is no doubt Fredrick will continue to be a key blocker. Now, the question is whether he can make the necessary leap to become an integral part of the offense as a pass catcher.

Expectations for 2015

As a redshirt freshman in 2012, Fredrick caught 17 passes for 196 yards with a touchdown. Ever since then, he has strived to surpass those numbers and fallen short. But there is no reason Fredrick shouldn't be able to match or surpass his marks for catches, yards and touchdowns in his final season.

Wisconsin still will feature a run-oriented offense. Without a Montee Ball or a Melvin Gordon, though -- and with quarterback Joel Stave starting games in a fourth season -- the passing offense should improve.

Fredrick was an excellent high school receiver at Madison Memorial High School, where he caught 113 passes for 1,216 yards and 15 touchdowns while operating out of a spread offense. His role at Wisconsin has been different. But if teammates don't develop to support No. 1 receiver Alex Erickson, Fredrick could earn more opportunities.

A year ago, Fredrick became one of Stave's third-down safety valves. In fact, of Fredrick's 13 catches, nine came on third down. His most significant catch of the season came against Nebraska with Wisconsin trailing 17-3 and backed into a corner. Wisconsin faced third-and-6 from its own 27, when Fredrick caught a pass over the middle from Stave for 11 yards and a first down. On the ensuing play, Gordon scored on a 62-yard touchdown run to turn the tables in an eventual 59-24 Wisconsin victory.

Fredrick certainly has proven he can be a capable receiver. He had a breakout game against Purdue on Nov. 8, when he caught five passes for 64 yards. But he caught only two passes for 20 yards over the team's final five games. He'll need to show more consistency in 2015.

What would they do without him?

Fredrick's ability as a blocker is nearly irreplaceable on the roster. Few receivers on the team are as selfless as Fredrick, who is perfectly fine helping teammates rack up statistics if it means Wisconsin has a better opportunity to win games.

As for catching passes, there are plenty of guys waiting their turn to be the next breakout receiver -- or at least someone who becomes a dependable player in the rotation. The three that seem most ready to help Alex Erickson are Rob Wheelwright, Reggie Love and Jazz Peavy. Those players combined to make only three catches for 32 yards last season. But all three performed relatively well during spring practice, while Fredrick missed the entire spring with an injury.

Follow Jesse Temple on Twitter