Spring practices start this week for Wisconsin, but there will be one promising player not suiting up for the team.
Freshman tight end Rob Booker II has medically retired from football, and will no longer be on the Badgers' roster. The Waunakee native cited head injuries and neurological problems as his reason for hanging up the cleats for good. According to Evan Flood of 247Sports though, Booker will still try to involved with the team in some other capacity.
Badgers lose key depth at tight end after Booker's retirement
The in-state recruit had initially aligned with Wisconsin in 2023, but soon after flipped his commitment to UCLA. Eventually though, he re-committed to the Badgers and enrolled in 2024. Booker II did not play a snap for Wisconsin, however, and was listed as 'Out' on every injury report for the entire season.
Booker's departure from the team leaves with Tanner Koziol and Tucker Ashcraft as the top tight ends. Running back Jackson Acker is reportedly making the switch to tight end as a nicedepth piece as well. After those three, the Badgers have JT Seagraves, Jackson McGohan, Grant Stec, and freshmen Nizyi Davis and Emmett Bork filing out the position group.
Tight end has been severely lacking in production the last few years for the Badgers, and losing Booker certainly won't help. Koziol is a highly anticipated addition to the roster, though, and Luke Fickell and company will need to squeeze all they can out of this group now that their depth has taken a hit.