Every year, there's plenty of movement in the transfer portal. However, is it officially time to start worrying for the Wisconsin Badgers defense? Specifically, something is up with the defensive backs for head coach Luke Fickell.
In recent days, there has been a flurry of DBs who have taken to social media to announce they're going to be entering the transfer portal when things open up. The latest piece of news is a bit of a sting for Fickell and his staff, as Braedyn Moore won't be back in Madison next campaign.
That's not all, though. With Moore making this decision, it now means that every single defensive back from the 2023 signing class is leaving town. To have an entire class's worth of safeties and cornerbacks decide they want to play elsewhere is truly alarming.
Safety Braedyn Moore reportedly to the transfer portal, per @mzenitz. He was a four-star prospect and the highest-rated player in Wisconsin's 2023 class. Would mean all six defensive backs in the class are now gone, including five to the portal in the last two days.
— Jesse Temple (@jessetemple) December 4, 2024
Wisconsin safety Braedyn Moore is the latest DB who will leave the Badgers
For 2023, the Badgers brought in Moore, plus Jonas Duclona, Jace Arnold, Amare Snowden, Justin Taylor and AJ Tisdell. All six of those players are now no longer in the mix for this team moving forward. How is this even possible?
Moore was a top target for Fickell and his coaching staff two recruiting cycles ago. He signed with the Badgers as a 4-star playmaker, ranked the No. 13 athlete in the country and No. 9 player from Ohio according to the 247Sports Composite.
He chose to play for the Badgers over additional offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Minnesota, West Virginia and many others. The hope was that Moore would be able to make more of a difference on defense in 2025 for Fickell, but we now know that's not going to happen.
Expect Wisconsin to be ACTIVE in the transfer portal themselves later this month to bring in secondary help. They need it more than ever.