Wisconsin heads to face No. 19 Alabama this weekend, and there will be plenty of huge matchups all over the field. One, however, features a battle two of future NFL Draft picks and maybe will decide the outcome of the entire game.
Louisville transfer Mason Reiger will face off against likely first round pick Kadyn Proctor in what will be a huge matchup to watch all game. Reiger, who has gotten off to a hot start with the Badgers, will need to try and get past one of the best tackles in the country in order for Wisconsin put some pressure on the Tide.
How will Mason Reiger fare against Kadyn Proctor?
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Last week against Middle Tennessee, Reiger was a game-wrecker once again for Wisconsin, and had the Badgers' highest defensive Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade with a 90.2. He has nine quarterback pressures through two games, which ranks 12th in the country among all pass rushers. Now his skills will be put to the test against one of the most talented lineman in the nation.
Proctor is a concensus first round pick in the next year's draft, and will privide a steep challenge for the Badger edge rushers. He's a former five-star recruit and already has First-Team All-Freshman in 2023 and Second-team ALL-SEC in 2024 on his resume. If Wisconsin is to have any chance at taking down the Crimson Tide, they'll need to assert their dominance up front against the stout Alabama line.
While the Badgers struggled all season last year to produce and sort of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, 2025 has already been a much different story. The battle between Reiger and Proctor will be a fun matchup to see, and how each performs may have big implications on the outcome of the game.