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Sebastian Cheeks' domination vs. USC earned him Big Ten award and major NFL Draft buzz

After a dominant performance against USC, Wisconsin edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks earned Big 10 player of the week and has started to pick up some NFL draft buzz
ByOwen Jury
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Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks (15) and linebacker Cooper Catalano (44) celebrate after tackling USC Trojans running back King Miller (8) as Wisconsin safety Matt Jung (29) joins the celebration during the first half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers outside linebacker Sebastian Cheeks (15) and linebacker Cooper Catalano (44) celebrate after tackling USC Trojans running back King Miller (8) as Wisconsin safety Matt Jung (29) joins the celebration during the first half at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Wahl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wisconsin Badgers are fresh off one of, if not the single biggest win of the Luke Fickell era, dominating the USC Trojans 24-7. This is the first time in Fickell’s tenure that he has picked up a ranked win that could in no way be classified as “flukey.”

Last season, Wisconsin won two ranked games against Washington and Illinois, but both had the cloud of bad weather and irregular circumstances looming over them. The road win against Penn State this season seemed amazing at the time. However, just a couple of weeks later, Penn State sits closer to the bottom of the Big Ten than the top, posting a 3-4 record.

All around dominance

Nonetheless, the Badgers’ win against USC was vintage. Wisconsin dominated the line of scrimmage, winning while throwing for only 58 passing yards. And, of course, that came through defensive domination, much of which was fueled by edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks.

The senior leader and team captain had a career day, logging five tackles, 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss. Cheeks was all over the field, consistently winning as a pass rusher and forcing USC to get the ball out earlier than the Trojans were comfortable with. Along with consistently getting push and working into the backfield in the run game, he played a huge part in the Trojans rushing for minus-18 yards.

His stellar play earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors, an award long overdue for his play this season. With Cheeks, there should be zero “one-hit wonder” allegations, as those who have followed Wisconsin, or even just college football as a whole, know just how amazing he has been this season.

Cheeks currently leads the country in total QB pressures — a stat he has held control of for numerous weeks now. He has solidified himself as one of the better pass rushers in college football, period.

NFL scouts have started to pick up on it as well, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper listing Cheeks as one of his biggest stock risers and giving him a third- to fourth-round grade. Kiper expressed just how impressed he was with Cheeks’ ability to win with both speed and power despite being somewhat undersized for the position, along with highlighting his ability to impact both the run and pass.

Cheeks’ size will likely hinder him from being highly touted come draft time. But continued dominance, along with a strong combine outing, could earn him a spot a lot higher than even the most hardcore Badger fans expected heading into the season.

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