The transfer portal is set to officially open next week and there's a whole lot of movement on both sides of the ball for the Wisconsin Badgers, but not in a good way. In recent days, several players have announced their intentions to transfer, with three more arriving since Monday night.
That's right, defensive backs Justin Taylor and Jonas Duclona took to social media to reveal they've played their last game in Madison. Now on Tuesday, defensive lineman Curt Neal has followed suit, letting everyone know he has made the tough decision to continue his college career at a different program. Neal posted 29 total tackles and 0.5 sacks in 2024.
After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided I’ll be entering my name in the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. This has not been an easy decision, as my time here at Wisconsin has been nothing short of incredible. Thank you Badger Nation!
— Curtis Neal (@CurtisNeal97) December 3, 2024
Curtis Neal is the latest Wisconsin player to announce he'll transfer
There's always going to be movement with the transfer portal and things are no different for the Badgers. Head man Luke Fickell is getting ready to bring in a loaded 2025 class, one that's ranked among the Top 20 in the country.
After that, Fickell and his coaches will 100 percent take a look at the players in the portal and decide to potentially bring in some guys with experience as well. Might a new quarterback be making his way to town? Fans are excited about four-star QB Carter Smith, but he may not be the only new signal-caller headed to Wisconsin.
Cole LaCrue is entering the portal, while Braedyn Locke said he has no plans to transfer. Don't be surprised if Fickell decides he wants to bring in a new QB to push for the starting job, especially if Tyler Van Dyke isn't able to get back on the field due to his torn ACL.
With all of that said, it's no surprise that we're starting to see several Wisconsin players let everyone know they won't be back. Taylor, Neal and Duclona just went through a 5-7 campaign with the Badgers and while they made it clear in their posts they have nothing but love for the school, it's time to move on. Things didn't work out for them with the program, but Fickell will have plans in place to replace them.