It's only April, but the hits keep coming for Luke Fickell and the Badgers. After it was reported that starting tight end Tanner Koziol will enter the spring portal, another starter on offense is now set to miss the entire 2025 season after suffering an injury.
Projected starting left tackle Kevin Heywood tore his ACL, and will require surgery. The fast-rising sophomore will now miss the season.
Wisconsin’s projected starting left tackle Kevin Heywood will miss the 2025 season, head coach Luke Fickell said. Heywood is requiring surgery after sustaining a leg injury this spring.
— Payne Blazevich (@payneblazevich) April 15, 2025
Badgers lose another offensive starter ahead of the 2025 season
Heywood, a four-star recruit in the 2024 class, was slated to take over starting duties from Jack Nelson, who is expected to be drafted in a few weeks. The 6-foot-8 left tackle was a highly regarded recruit, and was one of the most exciting up and coming players on the roster. Fickell will now have to get a bit creative along the offensive line to fill the void left by Heywood's injury.
The depth at tackle isn't very deep for Wisconsin, making the loss of Heywood even more consequential. Leyton Nelson, a transfer from Vanderbilt where he worked with Badgers' o-line coach AJ Blazek, appears to be the next logical option, but he didn't play at all last season. Much like tight end with expected transfer of Koziol, the Badgers may need to look to the portal to find other options, something they weren't preparing to have to do this spring.
It's been a tough start to 2025 for a program looking to redeem their 5-7 record from 2024. Fickell's seat is a bit warm after failing to reach a bowl game, and these injuries and transfers to key players isn't helping his cause. Hopefully, the Badgers find some answers during the summer, whether through the portal or with the current roster, and can roll into the season with confidence that this team can get the job done.