Draft Scout Wisconsin Player News, College Football: Wisconsin

2023 CFB/2024-2027 Draft Scout

- Draft Scout Front Page - 2023 CFB Week 5 - 2023 AFCA #1 Georgia - #2 Michigan - #3 Ohio State - #4 Florida State - #5 Texas - #6 Southern Cal - #7 Penn State - #8 Washington - #9 Oregon - #10 Utah - #11 Alabama - #12 LSU - 2023-2027 FBS/FCS Team Lists/Rosters - CFB's Best Player Names By Year/Position - Draft Scout Player Directory A-Z - Players by School/College List A-Z - Draft Scout Rokfin Football Channel - Draft Scout Weekly - Phil Steele/Draft Scout - Contact Draft Scout Player Rankings by Conference: -ACC- | -American Athletic- | -Big 12- | -Big Ten- | -Conference USA- | -Independent- | -Mid-American- | -Mountain West- | -Pac-12- | -SEC- | -Sun Belt-

NFL Draft Scout History

- 1997 Coach Bill Walsh Draft Insider (First/Early NFL Draft Scout) - 2023 NFL Draft Tracker/Results - 2023 Undrafted by Position - 2023 Pro Timing Days/Results - 2023 Pro Timing Day Risers by Position - Draft Scout Evolve: Player Rating Changes - 2023 NFL Combine - Draft Scout CFB Risers - Draft Scout CFB Fallers - 2023 NFL Draft Underclassmen - 2023-26 #1 Georgia Bulldogs - 2023-26 #3 TCU Horned Frogs - 2022-23 CFB Bowl Schedule - EA College Football Game Pushed Back to 2024 - CFB Schedule/Roster/News Links - CFB Player News & Notes - CFB Player Injury News & Notes - CFB Injuries by Year/Position

2022 Draft Scout

- 2022 NFL Draft Tracker - 2022 Pro Timing Days/Results - 2022 Pro Timing Day Risers by Position - 2022 NFL Combine/Results - 2022 NFL Combine Risers by Position - 2022 NFL Draft Underclassmen - 2021 Draft Scout Top 100

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Draft Scout College Football Player News: Wisconsin

Previous 15 Notes

Next 15 Notes

02/08/23 - Chase Wolf, rSr/2024, Wisconsin + More +

Quarterback Chase Wolf is no longer with the University of Wisconsin football program and will not return for a sixth season, according to a UW official. Wolf told reporters after helping the Badgers win the Guaranteed Rate Bowl that he was going to return this fall and pursue his master's degree. But after the program secured commitments from three transfer quarterbacks this offseason, Wolf's chances of playing under new coach Luke Fickell and in new offensive coordinator Phil Longo's system greatly diminished. Wolf played in 13 games for UW and made his first career start against Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in December. He finishes his UW career with 292 passing yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions on 33-of-57 passing (57.9%). - Wisconsin State Journal

rSr/2024

QB Chase Wolf, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

02/04/23 - Tanner Mordecai, rSr/2024, Wisconsin + More +

Luke Fickell has seen up close his new quarterback on some of his worst days as a college passer. Tanner Mordecai, arguably the headliner of a 13-player transfer class for the University of Wisconsin football team, faced off against Fickell and his Cincinnati Bearcats teams each of the last two years in American Athletic Conference play. Mordecai and SMU couldn't quite crack Fickell and coordinator Mike Tressel's defense, falling 48-14 in 2021, then Mordecai suffered a concussion that forced him out of a 29-27 defeat last season.

Still, Fickell saw talent and moxie in Mordecai, who put up big numbers against pretty much every other opponent he faced with SMU. "I think we were very fortunate when we played him," Fickell said Thursday at an alumni event in Milwaukee, "so we'll harass him a little bit about that." Mordecai was one of three transfer quarterbacks to join the Badgers during the first portal window, along with Nick Evers (Oklahoma) and Braedyn Locke (Mississippi State). SMU was 14-10 with Mordecai under center, but offense was rarely the problem. The Mustangs averaged 37.2 points per game last season, good for 12th in the FBS, after scoring 38.4 points per game in 2021. He led a spread-out offense somewhat similar to the one he'll be asked to engineer under Fickell and new offensive coordinator Phil Longo. - Wisconsin State Journal

rSr/2024

QB Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/21/23 - C.J. Goetz, rSr/2024, Wisconsin + More +

Outside linebacker C.J. Goetz announced he plans to return to UW for a sixth season. Goetz, a graduate of Catholic Memorial High School, has started 14 games and played in 44 at UW. He finished third on the team in tackles (61) this past season. That total included two sacks and eight tackles for loss. - Journal Sentinel

rSr/2024

OLB C.J. Goetz, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
Share/Comment: Here

01/21/23 - Dean Engram, rSr/2024, Wisconsin + More +

Dean Engram, who contributed at cornerback, wide receiver and on punt returns, will not return to Wisconsin for the 2023 season. Engram, who redshirted in 2019 and has two seasons of eligibility remaining, announced Thursday he plans to transfer. Engram played in all 13 games this past season. He caught 13 passes for 152 yards and averaged 5.5 yards on 24 punt returns. - Journal Sentinel

rSr/2024

CB Dean Engram, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
Share/Comment: Here

01/15/23 - Bryson Green, rJr/2025, Wisconsin + More +

Wide receiver Bryson Green, who played two seasons at Oklahoma State, announced via social media that he committed to the University of Wisconsin. Green led the Cowboys in receiving touchdowns (five) while ranking second in receiving yards (584) and third in receptions (36) as a sophomore. The Allen, Texas, native caught 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2021.

The Badgers return their top three receivers from last season - Skyler Bell, Chimere Dike and Keontez Lewis. Green joins Will Pauling and Quincy Burroughs (Cincinnati) and former four-star prospect C.J. Williams (Southern Cal) as transfers who have committed to the Badgers this week who play that position. - Wisconsin State Journal

rJr/2025

WR Bryson Green, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/13/23 - C.J. Williams, So/2026, Wisconsin + More +

Former USC wide receiver C.J. Williams committed to Wisconsin, he announced via Twitter Thursday. Williams played in 10 games this past season for USC, totaling four receptions for 34 yards as a freshman. Williams played high school football at Mater Dei (Calif.), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 118 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Williams became friends with UW quarterback Nick Evers, a transfer this offseason from Oklahoma, at the 2022 All-American Bowl. - Wisconsin State Journal

So/2026

WR C.J. Williams, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/13/23 - Will Pauling, rSo/2026, Wisconsin + More +

Four former assistants and four former Cincinnati Bearcats players have joined or announced their intentions to join Luke Fickell at Wisconsin. Wide receiver Will Pauling announced his commitment Tuesday. He joins fellow receiver Quincy Burroughs and offensive linemen Joe Huber and Jake Renfro to declare their intentions to play for the Badgers. Those decisions came after former Cincinnati assistants Mike Brown, Gino Guidugli, Colin Hitschler and Mike Tressel joined Fickell. Plus recruiting aces Pat Lambert and Max Stienecker also made the move. - Wisconsin State Journal

rSo/2026

WR Will Pauling, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/12/23 - Quincy Burroughs, rFr/2027, Wisconsin + More +

When first-year offensive coordinator Phil Longo met with reporters recently, he was asked what positions the Wisconsin staff was looking to bolster. Coaches are not allowed to talk publicly about unsigned recruits but Longo identified wide receiver as one position needing more bodies. UW on Wednesday secured a commitment from another transfer wide receiver when Quincy Burroughs announced he plans to transfer from Cincinnati.

Burroughs, 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, did not play as a freshman last season. He is the third wide receiver UW has added since last month, including two from the transfer portal. UW last month signed Trech Kekahuna, who had originally committed to Arizona, and on Tuesday secured a commitment from former Cincinnati wide receiver Will Pauling. Pauling caught 12 passes for 122 yards as a redshirt freshman last season. - Journal Sentinel

rFr/2027

WR Quincy Burroughs, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
Share/Comment: Here

01/12/23 - Nathanial Vakos, So/2026, Wisconsin + More +

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell and his staff have been busy during the last six weeks bolstering UW's roster. UW entered Tuesday having added a total of 26 players since the December signing period, a mix of high school recruits and transfers. Sixteen of those players are projected to start out on defense and 10 on offense. The Badgers added two more Tuesday: Quarterback Braedyn Locke, a transfer from Mississippi State, and Nathanial Vakos, a kicker from Ohio University, announced their commitments. Locke is the third quarterback UW has added via the transfer portal.

Vakos is from Avon, Ohio. He hit 19 of 22 field-goal attempts during the regular season, missed his lone attempt, from 56 yards; in the Mid-American Conference title game; and then made 3 of 4 attempts in a 30-27 overtime victory over Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl. In the bowl game, Vakos hit from 43 yards, missed from 53 and then hit from 45 and 45 yards. The second 45-yarder came with four seconds left and sent the game into overtime. - Journal Sentinel

So/2026

K Nathanial Vakos, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
Share/Comment: Here

01/12/23 - Braedyn Locke, rFr/2027, Wisconsin + More +

The transformation of the University of Wisconsin quarterback room continued Tuesday with transfer Braedyn Locke announcing he was joining the Badgers program. Locke, who spent his freshman year as a redshirt at Mississippi State, was rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN and Rivals and a three-star recruit by 247Sports. The Rockwall, Texas, product was ranked among the top 25 quarterbacks in the 2022 class by all three sites. He is the third quarterback to transfer into the UW program since coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo took over, following redshirt freshman Nick Evers (Oklahoma) and senior Tanner Mordecai (SMU). - Wisconsin State Journal

rFr/2027

QB Braedyn Locke, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/11/23 - Jake Renfro, rJr/2025, Wisconsin + More +

Former Cincinnati center Jake Renfro announced Sunday he plans to transfer to UW and former Michigan State defensive end/outside linebacker Jeff Pietrowski announced Monday he is coming as well. Renfro's announcement came two days after former Cincinnati tackle Joe Huber announced he is joining his former head coach in Madison.

Renfro, 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds, missed the 2022 season after suffering a knee injury. Renfro started 13 games in 2021 and was named a first-team, all-American Athletic Conference pick. He started six games as a freshman in 2020. UW lost center Joe Tippmann, who announced before the bowl game he was entering 2023 NFL draft. - Journal Sentinel

rJr/2025

C Jake Renfro, Wisconsin
News Source: Journal Sentinel
Share/Comment: Here

01/11/23 - Jeff Pietrowski Jr, rJr/2025, Wisconsin + More +

The Badgers football program picked up another transfer commit, this time from a Big Ten foe. Jeff Pietrowski Jr., who played defensive end for Michigan State from 2020-22, announced Monday that he committed to the University of Wisconsin. The Spartans listed the Medina, Ohio, native at 6 foot 2 and 250 pounds last season, and he played in 23 career games for the Big Ten East program.

Pietrowski's best season for MSU came in 2021, when he participated in all 13 games and recorded 33 tackles. His seven tackles for loss ranked third on the team, and he tied for second with 5.5 sacks. His three forced fumbles that season tied for third in the Big Ten Conference with two other players. He played in only three games last season due to injury, recording six tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries. - Wisconsin State Journal

rJr/2025

OLB Jeff Pietrowski Jr, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/08/23 - Joe Huber, rJr/2025, Wisconsin + More +

Luke Fickell and his new staff will see more Cincinnati flavor come to the University of Wisconsin. Offensive lineman Joe Huber announced via social media Friday that he committed to the Badgers. Huber claimed All-AAC honorable mention accolades this season, a year where he started all 13 games at right tackle as a redshirt sophomore. The Bearcats listed the Dublin, Ohio, native at 6 foot 5 and 310 pounds, and Huber initially walked on to the program in 2020, according to the Bearcats game notes for the Fenway Bowl. The program also listed him as a backup center under fellow redshirt sophomore Gavin Gerhardt.

Where Huber projects to play on UW's offensive line will be worth watching. His experience at tackle could help bolster depth inside coach Jack Bicknell's revamped room. Both Jack Nelson and Riley Mahlman, who predominantly started at the tackle spots last season, return. Former five-star recruit Nolan Rucci will be a redshirt sophomore in 2023. Huber joins five other players who have announced their intentions to transfer into the program. That list includes quarterbacks Nick Evers (Oklahoma) and Tanner Mordecai (SMU), defensive linemen Darian Varner (Temple) and Manny Mullens (Division II Lake Erie College - walk-on) and defensive back Jason Maitre (Boston College). - Wisconsin State Journal

rJr/2025

OG Joe Huber, Wisconsin
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Share/Comment: Here

01/08/23 - Jeff Pietrowski Jr, rJr/2025, Wisconsin + More +

Defensive end Jeff Pietrowski is the latest Michigan State player to enter the transfer portal, a team spokesman confirmed on Friday. The junior suffered an injury in week three against Washington and missed the rest of the season. As a redshirt sophomore in 2021, Pietrowski appeared in all 13 games with three starts while ranking second on the team with 5.5 sacks. He also recorded seven tackles for loss while notching 33 tackles for the season and tying for second in the Big Ten with three forced fumbles. In 23 career games, Pietrowski had 43 tackles, including 7.5 for a loss, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. - Detroit News

rJr/2025

OLB Jeff Pietrowski Jr, Wisconsin
News Source: Detroit News
Share/Comment: Here

01/08/23 - Darian Varner, rJr/2025, Wisconsin + More +

Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell noted last month that one unit in need of more bodies was the defensive line. UW moved closer to adding another prospect on Thursday when Temple's Darian Varner announced he planned to join the Badgers. Varner, 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, has two seasons of eligibility remaining. A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Varner last month announced he planned to transfer to Virginia Tech. UW's coaches were able to change his mind.

Varner played in 10 of 12 games this past season, missing the final two games because of a foot injury. He finished with 7 1/2 sacks and 12 1/2 tackles for losses, both the No. 2 mark on the team, and 35 total tackles and was named first-team all-American Athletic Conference. Varner redshirted in 2020 and recorded a combined three sacks and seven tackles for loss in 11 games in 2021. UW must replace nose tackle Keeanu Benton, who led the unit in sacks (4 ½), tackles for loss (10) and total tackles (35). - Journal Sentinel

rJr/2025