Throughout last year's disappointing struggle to a 5-7 record, one glaring issue was the Badger defensive front. Typically a strength of Wisconsin teams, the unit failed to generate much pressure on opposing quarterbacks and didn't do much to stop the run either. This offseason, head coach Luke Fickell made it a priority to revamp the defensive line, and brought in several new transfers with some bulk to them. So while the line definitely got bigger up front, did they get better?
Last year's team weighed an average of 289 pounds across the defensive line. Now in 2025, that number has jumped up to 305 pounds based on the official roster, a stark contrast from 2024 and a very deliberate move by the coaching staff. Every transfer the brought in this offseason along the defensive line was 300 pounds or more. It's a strong message to fans and opponents that Wisconsin won't be bullied up front any longer.
Will bigger translate to better for Wisconsin?
The size is there, but what about the talent? The good thing is it will be hard to be much worse than last year, but how the new transfers fit in will be tougher to project. Virtually all of the new players came from small schools like Tulane or UT-Martin, so the adjustment to the Big Ten for players like Parker Peterson and Charles Perkins will be a key factor. Neither had crazy sack production, with just 2.5 and two sacks respectively last year, but what they bring to the run game certainly can't be overlooked.
Jay'viar Suggs is another transfer who could be a contributing factor. The Badgers missed out on him in the portal in 2024, but got a second chance in 2025 and didn't waste it. He had a strong spring, and will be a part of the rotation, but much like the other lineman it's hard to see exactly how he fits in.
There's a lot of new faces on defense and most would agree it's a good thing. While it most likely will not be a top unit in the Big Ten, it will almost certainly be much improved from last year, and that's a huge win.