Three Wisconsin Badgers made 247Sports’ recent ranking of the 100 most impactful transfers to move during the winter window.
Those additions: former Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol (No. 67 overall), Kentucky edge rusher Tyreese Fearbry (No. 82) and Tulane defensive lineman Parker Petersen (No. 88). Meanwhile, former Badgers defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. (Illinois) was the one departure to make the list (No. 78).
Related: Big Ten football transfer portal class rankings
The Badgers finished the winter transfer cycle with 19 total commitments (18 from scholarship players). That class ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 15 in the nation.
Koziol is one of the group’s clear headliners, with several years of top-end production at Ball State, led by a breakout 94-catch, 839-yard, eight-touchdown 2024 campaign. He may be the top receiving threat on Wisconsin’s roster immediately upon joining the program. His impact will be easy to quantify, as he should be a focal point of Jeff Grimes‘ offensive system in its first year with the program.
Fearbry, next, is a bit of a wild card after limited playing time in three years at Kentucky. He appeared in 27 games during his career with the Wildcats, recording just 21 tackles, one for loss and two pass deflections. As 247Sports notes, “At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, his size and athleticism are too hard to come by.” Both the recruiting service and the Wisconsin defensive staff hope that Fearbry still has his best football ahead of him.
Petersen, finally, is one of the under-the-radar strong pickups by Wisconsin. He excelled leading Tulane’s defensive line in 2024, finishing with 21 tackles, five for loss and 2 1/2 sacks. He figures to start immediately for the Badgers alongside transfers Corey Walker and Jay’viar Suggs, and veteran Ben Barten. Here’s what the recruiting service said about Petersen’s ability: “A quick-twitch mover with violent hands, Petersen’s combination of size, initial quickness and raw activity should help the Badgers solidify their run defense on the interior.”
In all, Wisconsin may enter the 2025 season with 13 new starters (six on defense, seven on offense). It’s reasonable to assume that the performance of the team’s transfer class, both these standouts and the other 16 additions, will play a vital role in whether the team returns to respectability.
Koziol, Fearbry and Petersen all having big seasons would be a significant step in that regard. The three play the positions where Wisconsin was arguably the weakest in 2024.
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