These 2 former Badgers are ready to make an impact on the first day in the NFL

After a disappointing 2025 season for Wisconsin Badger football that saw just four wins and zero players drafted, things are starting to look up. The Badgers’ roster looks reloaded and ready to burst onto the scene next season, and even a couple of former Wisconsin players look ready to make an impact right away in their rookie seasons.

Despite not being drafted, numerous former Badgers found their way onto NFL rosters directly following the NFL draft as UDFAs, and a few of them seem as if they will be given an opportunity from day one. It's always difficult to project how much an undrafted player will play, given the fact that they enter camp at the bottom of the depth chart. However, every season, multiple guys climb their way up the totem pole and find their way onto rosters, and these three former Wisconsin players could be those guys.

Vinny Anthony II - Atlanta Falcons

The most likely former Badger to make an impact from day one is wide receiver/specialist Vinny Anthony II. The 6-foot-tall do-it-all gadget guy built quite the resume over his Wisconsin tenure, doing a plethora of different things for a talent-depleted roster. Anthony did everything from catching passes to returning kicks, taking handoffs, and even playing gunner in specific situations.

This versatility makes him quite the intriguing player as he can fit into basically any situation. Some outlets have already mentioned Anthony’s name in depth charts, mostly as a special teamer and depth slot receiver piece, but nonetheless, he is being mentioned. He still has a long way to go before anything is final, but it seems as if Anthony will be on the Atlanta Falcons’ roster come season's start.

Mason Reiger - Miami Dolphins

It came as quite a surprise to many when edge rusher Mason Reiger didn't hear his name called on draft night. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that he is making the noise he has been during the Miami Dolphins’ minicamp. Reiger is fresh off a solid senior year in Madison and a stellar pre-draft process that, to many, was enough to be listed as a draftable prospect. Because of this, after he subsequently went undrafted, he became a hot commodity, leaving the Dolphins no choice but to sweep him up.

Now a part of the team, Reiger is, once again, turning heads. The battle to make the final roster will be quite the treacherous process, given the fact that he was once undrafted, but it is by no means impossible. If Reiger can hone in on a few skills, refining his skill set and improving as a threat on special teams, there is no doubt he will be on Miami’s final 53.

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