Cai Bates holds the RCB · Backup spot in Wisconsin Badgers’s cornerback room. Where he sits among the room’s front-line roles:

Cai Bates is a 6'3", 202-pound right cornerback from West Orlando, Florida, who attended Edgewater High School. A consensus four-star prospect ranked 87th overall nationally and eighth among cornerbacks in the Class of 2024, Bates made 26 tackles, seven interceptions, and 13 passes defended in high school while catching 36 passes for 621 yards and four touchdowns. He played his first two seasons at Florida State, appearing in three games as a redshirt freshman in 2024 and seven games in 2025 as a reserve defensive back. Bates transferred to Wisconsin and is listed as a redshirt sophomore in the 2026 class.

Florida State2024 – 2025

Wisconsin2026 — present