With the transfer portal in full swing, the Badgers have already signed eight new players to join the team for 2025. Two of those players, Billy Edwards Jr. from Maryland and Danny O'Neil from San Diego State, are new quarterbacks who will compete for the starting job next fall. CBS recently put out their grades for each Power Four quarterbacks' fit at their new school, and it seems they aren't super high on the Badgers' newcomers.
CBS gave the Edwards signing just a C, which feels low considering he was getting some serious interest from Michigan as well. Last season, he threw for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He's a seasoned veteran, and will easily be the most experience quarterback on the roster, but ultimately CBS feels like he just doesn't move the needle much for Wisconsin.
"Edwards has some juice behind the scenes --Michigan was interested in him at one point -- and he brings Big Ten starting experience to Madison. However, nothing really sets him apart from Wisconsin's recent quarterbacks, and the Badgers certainly haven't hit it out of the park in that department."
The first quarterback Wisconsin brought onboard in the portal O'Neill actually graded better than Edwards Jr. according to CBS. As a true freshman at SDSU, he threw for 2,181 yards and 12 touchdowns to six interceptions. He's more raw than Edwards Jr., but might fit new OC Jeff Grimes system a bit better in CBS' eyes.
"Wisconsin revamped its quarterback room via the transfer portal and O'Neil is the more intriguing addition. He started 11 games at San Diego State as a freshman and finished the year with a 63.3% completion rate for 2,181 yards and 12 touchdowns. He can push the ball downfield and is a smart passer who takes what defenses give him. That's a solid attribute for a young gunslinger to have, and one that fits new OC Jeff Grimes' RPO heavy scheme well."
Who Will Start at Quarterback in 2025?
Most fans assumed O'Neil would provide good depth, but maybe the battle for QB1 is more even than they think. Edwards is probably the leader out of the gate purely based on his experience as a Big Ten quarterback, but O'Neil might have a chance to win the job if he can show his skills can translate to a bigger stage.