The Wisconsin Badgers continue to roll with offensive linemen in the transfer portal, landing Ole Miss Rebels transfer PJ Wilkins on Wednesday, he announced on X.
Wilkins, a 6’5, 340-pound offensive lineman,
is a versatile player who has gotten reps at any tackle or guard spot, starting the first two games for Ole Miss this season before transitioning into a swing lineman role for the Rebels this year.
He had been with the team in the College Football Playoff, seeing action in both the Tulane and Georgia wins for Ole Miss before electing to enter the transfer portal and leave the team.
Wilkins transferred to Ole Miss from Charlotte, where he spent the first two years of his collegiate career. After redshirting his freshman season, Wilkins played in 11 games for Charlotte in 2024, starting two, before transferring to Ole Miss.
At 6’5, 340 pounds, Wilkins’s versatility will be interesting to watch this spring as the Badgers find out his best fit. Will he see some opportunity at tackle, where the Badgers don’t have a penciled-in starter on the right side, and will likely foster a competition? Or could he play at guard and compete with some of Wisconsin’s younger talent there for a starting spot?
Currently, he is a bit raw, as is fellow transfer portal addition Lucas Simmons, so new offensive line coach Eric Mateos will have a big development task with his unit in 2026.
Like many of Wisconsin’s additions, Wilkins has multiple years of eligibility left. He’s the fourth offensive lineman to join the Badgers in the transfer portal this offseason, joining Simmons (transferred from Florida State), Blake Cherry (transferred from Arkansas), and Austin Kawecki (transferred from Oklahoma State).
With those four in the fold, Wisconsin may be done adding at offensive line in the transfer portal. Here’s what their current group looks like:
Austin Kawecki
Leyton Nelson
Barrett Nelson
Lucas Simmons
PJ Wilkins
Emerson Mandell
Ryan Cory
Kevin Heywood
Colin Cubberly
Blake Cherry
Nolan Davenport
Logan Powell
Hardy Watts
Michael Roeske
Cam Clark
Brady Bekkenhuis
That’s 16 scholarship offensive linemen. Quite a big group for the Badgers heading into 2026, barring any late transfers out of the room.
