There have been signs all over the football program that Luke Fickell is doing things differently this year, and one of the biggest signs has been money into the roster. This year's roster on paper is so much better than last year's, or the year before; it's not even close.
Now the proof will be in the pudding, as they say, and the results will be figured out on the field, but it's incredible how much better this roster is.
Another example came out today when Bruce Feldman put together his annual "Freaks List," which is 100 players in college football who have measurables that are off the charts. The Wisconsin Badgers have three players on the list; all three of them are transfers. Fickell went out and hauled in three players that immediately change the "freak" status of this roster. Players with measurables that test out higher than their peers.
2026 will be a major case study for college football, as Wisconsin chose not to fire Fickell, pay his buyout, hire a new coach, and instead poured that money into a new roster. This freaks list is just another example, but it's something to keep an eye on as we look at these incoming transfers that are on this notable list from Feldman.
Related: Luke Fickell has even his biggest doubters changing their minds, and it's about time
Wisconsin's 3 'freaks' with four other honorable mentions:
The first player to pop up on the list is defensive lineman Junior Poyser, a transfer from Buffalo. Listed at No. 46 on the rankings, and he landed at that spot because of his 4.55 shuttle time. This time is so impressive that it's faster than any defensive tackle ran it at the NFL Combine last year.
Feldman also notes, "He also vertical jumped 31 inches, broad jumped 9-0 and did 30 reps on the bench with 225, which would’ve tied for second at the combine among DTs."
As you scroll down, you'll find at No. 53 Abu Sama III, a transfer from Iowa State, who, according to Feldman, "Benched 225 pounds 25 times. He’s topped 23 mph on the Catapult. He also broad jumped 10-7, ran a 4.44 40-yard dash and was electronically timed at 1.45 seconds in his 10-yard split."
These are insane numbers and are nothing like what Wisconsin had at running back last season. In fact, that entire running back room has taken a huge step forward. Fickell didn't stop at just adding Sama; he also added Nate Palmer from TCU, Bryan Jackson II from USC, and JuJu Pope, who was the top JUCO running back last season. Each of these players could have been the top runner for the Badgers last season, and now Fickell has them all.
The final entry falls at No. 77, and it's new Wisconsin cornerback Javan Robinson, a transfer from Arizona State. It's the speed that stands out for Robinson, "clocking a 4.32 40, hitting over 23 mph on the GPS and broad jumping 10-11. He did 14 reps on the bench with 225 pounds and also did pull-ups for reps lugging an extra 100 pounds up."
Feldman notes that Wisconsin linebackers Mason Posa, Cooper Catalano, and Jon Jon Kamara all could have made the list with some of their own test scores. Nicholas Clayton also got a shoutout. So, the Badgers had three players who are returners that could have been on the list, but it was three transfers and (even a fourth with Kamara) who get the nod.
Luke Fickell needed a major reset in the transfer portal, and while everyone is talking about how much better the roster looks on paper, Feldman adds even more gas to the fire with three freaks at Wisconsin, all of them transfers. This sets up the Badgers for a pivotal 2026, and the retention of Fickell may end up being the win, as the money was poured into the roster instead of a new coach.
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