The NFL Draft is set to kickoff on Thursday night from Green Bay, and there are a few Badgers hoping to hear their names called sometime this weekend. So where do we see them falling?
NFL mock draft for 2025 Wisconsin Badgers
Wohler goes to the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round in our mock as an eventual replacement for safety Harrison Smith, who figures to retire after the season. Really any one of the three Badgers projected to be drafted could go first, but Wohler offers the ideal NFL size and instincts that teams will covet in these later rounds. Wohler, much like Smith is a physical, athletic safety, but he may end up providing solid value on special teams as well.
After dealing left tackle Laremy Tunsil this spring, the Houston Texans now have even more holes to fill along the offensive line. Enter Jack Nelson, who could go in the fifth round along with former teammate Wohler. Nelson does have the versatility to stay at tackle or move in to guard, both of which are huge needs for the Texans. Nelson is a durable, instinctive player who would be a great fit for a team that desperately needs to find more protection for their franchise quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are always game to select a Badger (see TJ Watt, Keeanu Benton, Nick Herbig etc.) and they could do it again in 2025 with offensive lineman Joe Huber. Depth at guard could be pretty thin for the Steelers, and Huber could be a nice backup who could start in a pinch. He may be the least likely of these three Badgers to be selected, but would be a nice boost to team's looking to improve their run-game and depth at center or guard.