MADISON – The Wisconsin defense improved in 2025 thanks in part to additions the team made to the defensive line in the transfer portal. This year the Badgers are repeating that formula.
On Jan. 8 the Badgers received a commitment from Hammond Russell, a defensive lineman from West Virginia. He is the second defensive lineman UW has added from the portal this cycle.
Here is what you need to know about one of Wisconsin’s latest additions.
How many tackles did Hammond Russell have this season?
Russell finished with 13 tackles, six solo, with 2½ tackles for a loss and two sacks for the Mountaineers, who finished 4-8 this season. He comes to Wisconsin with 33 games of experience, 40 tackles, 6½ tackles for a loss, 5½ sacks and one forced fumble.
What are Hammond Russell’s height and weight?
Russell is listed as 6-foot-3 and 312 pounds on the West Virginia roster.
How many years of eligibility does Hammond Russell have left?
Russell has one year of eligibility remaining. The 2026 season will be his sixth of college ball.
What was Hammond Russell’s recruiting ranking?
Rivals and 247sports listed Russell as a three-star prospect as a transfer and as a prep recruit at Coffman High School in Dublin, Ohio. 247sports ranked him as the No. 35 prospect in Ohio for the Class of 2021.
How can Hammond Russell help the Wisconsin Badgers?
The Badgers’ improved defense started with the play of its interior line, which shifted to bigger bodies in 2025. The team’s top four performers at that position completed their eligibility, leaving a void for Russell to help fill. Wisconsin’s top six defensive linemen this season averaged 6-3 and 316 pounds and were in their sixth year of college last season. Russell fits that mold.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How West Virginia transfer Hammond Russell can help the Wisconsin defense
Reporting by Mark Stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
