The Wisconsin Badgers were without an NFL Draft pick for the first time since 1978. Not one in any of the seven rounds and 200+ selections. It was an embarrassing moment and a tough pill to swallow for Badger Nation. Luke Fickell got most of the attention as in his three years, it seems like the NFL Draft has had worse and worse showings from middle rounders, to late rounders, and now to no picks.
Fickell was asked about it during the spring practice availability, and he called it a "realization." But going on to use it as fuel. He wants his team, his coaching staff, and everyone to recognize it's where things are at, but it's not the expectation. "There are a lot of things we've got to do to make sure this is not the case...We've got to change."
"It's disappointing, but also a realization... it's not what we want and we need to change it."
— Riley Jauch (@rileyjauch) April 29, 2026
Luke Fickell weighs in on Wisconsin football not having a player selected in the NFL Draft for the first time since 1978 pic.twitter.com/RmcLXQZACi
Luke Fickell calls NFL Draft shutout an eye-opening realization of where Wisconsin is
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It seems like last offseason was when Fickell really started to come to terms with the fact that the current plan wasn't working. He would need more funding, better coaching, in-state recruiting, and even better alumni connections. Fickell has been steering the ship in a direction many fans wish he had started in.
The results are not in, and maybe this won't work either. The jury is still out on whether Fickell can do it or not, but early indications are twofold. One, he understands the "realization" as he called it. He's not pulling punches anymore. He admits that this is a failure. That's huge. Second, he's showing early results on his new plan. He currently has a top-15 recruiting class, and his momentum hasn't slowed down there.
Fickell also seems to have some juice in the depth chart, and this season may truly look different. While the results will tell the story, the proof will be in the pudding. Fickell's acknowledgment, as well as his early efforts, may reveal he's at least working towards a better solution for Wisconsin football.
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