The Wisconsin pipeline to the NFL has been relatively anemic in recent years, but one former Badger has been showing out at the Senior Bowl in hopes of boosting his draft stock.
Receiver Vinny Anthony has been making some splash plays down in Mobile, and has surely gotten the attention of some NFL scouts. Yesterday, he made one of the catches of the day with a huge touchdown grab. Check it out.
Anthony with a nice route and an even better catch
Nice concentration touchdown grab over the shoulder from Wisconsin WR Vinny Anthony II pic.twitter.com/d51LgIp8nC
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 28, 2026
Former Badger Vinny Anthony is turning heads at the Senior Bowl
Related: New Wisconsin offseason video hints at position change for rising playmaker
After serving as the No. 1 receiver for the Badgers, Anthony will now look to make the jump to the pros. He hauled in 31 passes for 391 yards and a touchdown for the Badgers this year, while also adding two rushing touchdowns. Anthony served as Wisconsin's kick returner, and his 27.9 yards per return was good for fifth in the country. He added one kick return touchdown as well, making him the first Badger since 1984 to record a receiving, rushing and a return touchdown in one season.
After a breakout in 2024, poor and erratic quarterback play likely dampened his value a bit in 2025, but there's no question that Anthony has the playmaking ability that NFL teams desire, and he's putting it on display in Alabama. He was one of 130 players invited to the Senior Bowl and has seemingly already improved his draft stock with some nice highlights.
Last year, the Badgers didn't see a player selected in the draft until the seventh round, marking one of the more disappointing drafts in recent memory. This spring, Wisconsin will surely see a player taken higher, whether it be edge Mason Reiger, cornerback Ricardo Hallman, tackle Riley Mahlman or even Anthony with his latest audition.