In a shocking turn of events, Wisconsin's top wide reciever Will Pauling has entered the transfer portal for his final year of eligibility. Receiver C.J. Williams will also follow suit and enter the portal according to ESPN.
Wisconsin WR Will Pauling and WR C.J. Williams have entered the portal as grad transfers, ESPN has learned.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) December 17, 2024
Pauling caught 42 passes for 407 yards and 3 TDs this season. Williams had 248 receiving yards and 2 TDs on 16 catches. pic.twitter.com/l8AXUNkfyt
Will Pauling followed head coach Luke Fickell over from Cincinnati and enjoyed a hugely productive 2023 season, going for 74 catches, 837 yards and six touchdowns. With a sub-par quarterback situation, he had a down year this past season, posting 42 catches for 407 yards and three touchdowns. He'll now play his final year of college football elsewhere.
Star WR Will Pauling Enters the Transfer Portal
It's a surprising twist, and an unfortunate one for Fickell and the Badgers. Pauling was a No. 1 option for the Badgers and Williams had a solid year on the boundary. Trech Kekahuna will now fill Pauling's spot in the slot after playing a reserve role as a freshman. He did show flashes of greatness however, and he'll now get a huge opportunity to showcase more.
Up to this point, the Badger's hadn't lost many big contributors on offense. Quarterback Braedyn Locke left, but he was never going to be part of the plan in 2025. The loss of Pauling will put some pressure on the team to find another pass-catcher in the portal. They'll host Idaho receiver Mark Hamper on a visit according to Badger Notes.