After the Wisconsin Badgers received their first transfer portal commitment from former Louisville defensive end Mason Reiger, they received their second commitment, this time from the Mid-American Conference. Ball State's All-American tight end Tanner Koziol announced his transfer to Wisconsin on Saturday.
— Tanner Koziol (@tannerkoziol88) December 14, 2024
247 Sports ranked Koziol as the third-best tight end in the transfer portal and one of the top 50 overall players, and it's easy to see why.
Koziol was the leading receiver on Ball State with 94 catches, 839 yards, and eight touchdowns for Ball State in 2024. Since Koziol arrived in Muncie, he has been an instant impact player at the tight-end position. In three years at Ball State, Koziol was a three-time All-MAC performer and three-time All-American. In addition, Koziol is one of Action Network's second-team College Football Group of Five All-Americans this season.
Wisconsin's offense struggled in the passing game, and tight end production was limited in 2024. Neither Riley Nowakowski or Tucker Ashcraft accumulated over 100 yards. With Nowakowski in the transfer portal, Koziol expects to be an instant impact player at the tight end position.
Koziol's commitment is fantastic news for Luke Fickell as he seeks to improve the overall quality of the offense. Fickell has hired Kansas offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, who is seen as a better fit for Wisconsin's players than Phil Longo. The Badgers still need to figure out the quarterback position, as starters Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke both hit the transfer portal. San Diego State quarterback Danny O'Neil visited Wisconsin this weekend.
By landing Koziol in the transfer portal, the Badgers received a significant upgrade at a position that did not produce in 2024. Within the context of the offense, it's a step in the right direction as Wisconsin looks to find its next signal-caller in an offensive system more tailored to the strengths of its players.