The Wisconsin Badgers have quite the offseason ahead of them, as they’re expected to be very active in the transfer portal after an underwhelming 2026 class of just 13 high school commits.
Wisconsin has a lot of production to replace or add via the portal, which head coach Luke Fickell acknowledged will be an area of need at key positions. With the number of departing players, let’s take a look at Wisconsin’s projected scholarship distribution and see how many additions the Badgers may need to make
in January.
Wisconsin is expected to remain at the 85-scholarship mark, preserving the rest of its roster space for walk-ons.
Overall, the Badgers are projected to lose 37 players next year (full breakdown at the bottom of the article). Accounting for the 13 high school commits they’re bringing in, that means Wisconsin should get around 24 transfers in the upcoming cycle to reach back to the 85 scholarships they’re looking for.
Of course, that number is very much subject to change. There could be waivers that allow a player another year of eligibility, such as quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. There will likely also be more transfers when the portal opens up on January 2nd, opening up more potential scholarships.
Now, where exactly could those transfers be? Well, Wisconsin already got a commit and signature from JUCO transfer linebacker Taylor Schaefer, giving some depth at the position. Let’s project where the other additions could come from.
Quarterback (2): The Badgers are expected to take multiple quarterbacks in this cycle. They need a front-line starter, but they also need depth to fill out the numbers in the room. This group could be one that sees some shakeup heading into the portal window.
Running Back (1-2?): Much of this is dependent on how Wisconsin’s room shakes out over the next two weeks. The Badgers were confident going with Dilin Jones, Cade Yacamelli, Darrion Dupree, and Gideon Ituka as their four scholarship backs in 2025.
Yacamelli is leaving, but they added Qwantavius Wiggins in their 2026 class. He should compete for early snaps. Should another player leave, though, Wisconsin could look to add a body or two to the room.
Wide Receiver (4-6): The Badgers need wide receivers. They’re currently projected to lose six scholarship wideouts (listed below), including their top-four pass-catchers from a season ago. Wisconsin needs production and depth at the position. If they prioritize the former and target splashier players, they may take fewer players. If not, they could go for five to six wideouts.
Tight Ends (1?): The Badgers have a lot of youth in the tight end room, but not much production. If Lance Mason’s waiver isn’t granted and he doesn’t return to Wisconsin, the Badgers probably need another veteran tight end in the portal.
Offensive Line (2-4): The Badgers have some quality numbers, thanks to big 2024 and 2025 classes. But, they may need up to three starters, depending on whether Joe Brunner heads to the NFL. After taking only one lineman in their 2026 class, they could go for some younger guys as well (perhaps Jeff Grimes’s son?).
Defensive Line (2-3): Wisconsin is losing its top four defensive linemen. Some younger guys should step up, but this is also an area to get experience in the portal. Charles Perkins is back for a fifth year and should take a bigger role, but the Badgers need complementary pieces.
Linebacker (1-2): The Badgers already got a commitment from Taylor Schaefer, who projects on the inside, but could maybe pop out to the edge as well. They have quality outside linebacker depth with Sebastian Cheeks back and younger pieces like Nick Clayton ready to make the next step. They may need some depth, though, with the departures of Christian Alliegro and Tackett Curtis.
Cornerbacks (3-4): This room is getting depleted big time. Wisconsin is losing its top three corners and was already bare at the position. Wisconsin needs to go hard here for starters, but also potentially a depth piece to bridge the gap in the room.
Safeties (2-3): The Badgers are losing Austin Brown and Preston Zachman. Matt Jung didn’t look like a starter when out on the field, and Matthew Traynor was hurt and didn’t see much playing time. The Badgers need at least one starter here, and two wouldn’t be surprising.
Right there are 18 to 27 potential transfers that the Badgers need to round out their roster. That’s quite the haul, even on the lower side, and those numbers could very much change with how much movement happens with the portal.
It’s going to be an eventful offseason in Madison. (Check all the projected departures down below)
Departures
Transfer portal (11)
CB Geimere Latimer
LB Christian Alliegro
LB Tackett Curtis
LB Antarron Turner
OL Jake Renfro
RB Cade Yacamelli
S Remington Moss
WR Trech Kekahuna
WR Joe Griffin Jr.
WR Kyan Berry-Johnson
P Atticus Bertrams
NFL Draft (1)
OL Joe Brunner
Eligibility (25)
CB Ricardo Hallman
CB Nyzier Fourqurean
CB D’Yoni Hill
DL Jay’Viar Suggs
DL Ben Barten
DL Brandon Lane Jr.
DL Parker Petersen
K Nathanial Vakos
OL JP Benzschawel
OL Riley Mahlman
OL Kerry Kodanko
OL Davis Heinzen
OLB Darryl Peterson
OLB Mason Reiger
OLB Aaron Witt
OLB Corey Walker
QB Billy Edwards
QB Hunter Simmons
S Austin Brown
S Preston Zachman
TE Jackson Acker
TE Lance Mason
WR Jayden Ballard
WR Vinny Anthony
WR Dekel Crowdus
