The spring transfer portal is set to open Wednesday, April 16 and remain open until Friday, April 25. Wisconsin, like most programs across the FBS, is expected to lose players during this stretch. However, the Badgers are in a precarious situation ahead of the re-opening. Tight end Tanner Koziol, the headliner of Luke Fickell's winter transfer class, is expected to go portaling, per Colten Bartholomew of BadgerExtra.com. Wide receiver transfer Mark Hamper will also be hitting the open market, as reported by Evan Flood of 24/7 Sports. To make matters worse, Wisconsin's expected starting left tackle Kevin Heywood sustained a torn ACL and will miss the entirety of the 2025 season.
It wouldn't be a shock to see more players follow the paths of Koziol and Hamper, meaning the Badgers should be active in the spring portal. Here's three positions Fickell and co. need to add to:
Offensive line
Wisconsin doesn't have a simple answer to replace Kevin Heywood. Leyton Nelson has operated as the starting left tackle since Heywood went down, but the redshirt junior has next to no in-game experience. Fickell pointed to redshirt freshman Emerson Mandell in addition to Nelson as somebody who could step up, but Mandell has exclusively played guard throughout spring. If the Badgers don't get a starting left tackle out of the portal -- a rather tall task this time of year -- they may have to kick veteran guard Joe Brunner to tackle or swap tackle Riley Mahlman over to the left side of the line.
Aside from the LT concerns, there's minimal depth along the offensive front. Players like JP Benzschawel, Mandell and Barrett Nelson have all missed portions of spring practice and, as a whole, the defensive line has won in the trenches a concerning amount this spring. Wisconsin must add a name or two to this room in order to feel comfortable once the season rolls around
Quarterback
No, there's no quarterback controversy. No, the position hasn't been a complete disaster. And no, this isn't a condemnation of any specific signal caller. Quarterback is on this list simply because there aren't enough arms. If one of Billy Edwards or Danny O'Neil has to miss time, the Badgers will be in a very tough spot.
True freshman Carter Smith has shown flashes throughout spring, but Smith likely won't be ready for meaningful snaps this fall. Walk-on Milos Spasojevic also shouldn't see the field during the season. If Edwards or O'Neil goes down, Wisconsin would be one play, or one injury, away from Smith or Spasojevic taking snaps.
Finding a veteran quarterback who's willing to take a reserve role or a young quarterback with more experience than Smith or Spasojevic is the smart move.
Tight End
As previously mentioned Koziol is all but gone, leaving Tucker Ashcraft, Jackson Acker, Grant Stec, JT Seagreaves, Jackson McGohan and Emmett Bork as the only tight ends. Freshman Nyizi Davis will also join the team this summer.
Now that I've typed the list out, it feels like there's a lot of options sans Koziol. But, when you consider Acker's going to be more of an H-Back than a tight end, the group's youth and the amount of 12 personnel Jeff Grimes' RVO offense uses, it feels much less secure.
Bork and Davis shouldn't be expected to see immediate snaps, and all of McGohan, Stec and Seagreaves have very limited experience. There isn't a dire need at tight end, but I don't think anybody should feel comfortable with this group as it stands.