The spring transfer portal window officially opened on April 16. Wisconsin is sure to be active as it makes a final push to bolster its roster entering the 2025 season.
Most notably, the Badgers enter the period with significant needs on the offensive side of the football. While the team seemingly aced the winter portal window, just in the last few days it lost starting left tackle Kevin Heywood to a torn ACL, and starting tight end Tanner Koziol and top depth wide receiver Mark Hamper to the portal.
Both Koziol and Hamper were headliners of Wisconsin’s winter transfer class. As is the case in the current era of college football, winter commitments are nowhere close to guaranteed to be on the roster in Week 1.
With those departures and Heywood’s long-term injury, the Badgers would do well to find a fill-in at left tackle and a dynamic starting tight end. Replacing those projected starters may be easier said than done, however, as the two projected to be among the offensive unit’s top three or four players.
The spring portal window will remain open until April 25. Players have until that date to enter, while those in the portal have unlimited time to commit to a new program. As the window continues, here is an up-to-date tracker on all of Wisconsin’s incoming and outgoing movement:
(Last update: May 9, 1:50 p.m. ET)
IN: Wide receiver Dekel Crowdus
Wisconsin fills its need for depth at wide receiver with Crowdus’ commitment. The former four-star recruit excelled at Hawaii in 2024, finishing with more than 400 yards and a yards-per-reception clip north of 25. He should provide the Badgers an immediate big-play threat, plus a valuable complement to projected starting outside receivers Vinny Anthony and Jayden Ballard.
Here’s more on Crowdus’ commitment.
IN: Offensive lineman Davis Heinzen
Thank you CMU for helping shape me into the person and player I am today. I’m grateful for everyone who’s been part of the journey. I’m exited to take the next step coming back to my home state to continue the offensive line tradition at the University of Wisconsin!#OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/wj0FTFiuyE
Heinzen joins the Badgers with a ton of college experience — 36 starts over the last three years, most of which came at left tackle. He projects to battle for the Badgers’ starting left tackle job in fall camp, along with Joe Brunner, Leyton Nelson and Emerson Mandell. If he’s the Badgers’ Week 1 starter at the position, this quickly becomes the team’s most important addition of the spring window.
Here’s more on Heinzen’s commitment.
IN: Tight end Lance Mason
Mason fills the vacancy left by Tanner Koziol, who transferred to Houston during the spring window. The Missouri State transfer tallied 34 catches, 590 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2024, finishing as one of the top tight ends at the FCS level. Wisconsin reportedly beat out Cal and Oklahoma for his commitment.
Here’s more on Mason’s commitment.
OUT: Cornerback Jay Harper
Redshirt freshman cornerback Jay Harper will enter the transfer portal, he tells @Badger247. #Badgers pic.twitter.com/x6WhG8hd8v
Harper joined the Badgers as a three-star recruit in the class of 2024. He redshirted as a true freshman, then again projected as a depth option entering 2025. He enters the portal with four years of eligibility remaining. Wisconsin’s cornerback room, a focus of each of Luke Fickell’s first few recruiting cycles, will look almost entirely different in 2025, aside from starters Ricardo Hallman and Nyzier Fourqurean.
UPDATE: Harper committed to Louisiana-Monroe
OUT: Long-snapper Eli Stein
Stein joined the Badgers during the winter transfer window and was projected to claim the starting long-snapper job. Wisconsin recently added Purdue transfer LS Nick Levy, however, which pointed to a change of plan at the position. Stein’s departure is a corresponding move.
UPDATE: Stein signed with Cincinnati
IN: Purdue long snapper Nick Levy
Levy is Wisconsin’s second long-snapper commitment of the offseason, following Arkansas transfer Eli Stein. The two will likely battle for the starting job through the rest of spring practice and fall camp. Levy is also Wisconsin’s second spring transfer commitment, following Southern Illinois quarterback Hunter Simmons.
Here’s more on Levy’s addition.
OUT: Offensive lineman Derek Jensen
Jensen joined the program as a three-star recruit in the class of 2024. He redshirted as a true freshman and now enters the portal with four years of eligibility remaining. Most notably, his departure means that the Badgers now do not have an in-state player from the class of 2024.
UPDATE: Jensen signed with Iowa State
IN: Southern Illinois quarterback Hunter Simmons
Officially in the transfer portal! Thankful for my time at SIU.
Grad Transfer pic.twitter.com/Na99s06h2T
Simmons joins the Badgers as a graduate transfer with limited starting experience. The quarterback saw action in five games in 2024, three of which were starts, before he suffered a season-ending injury. The veteran figures to add depth to the team’s quarterback room, one that has dealt with significant injury in each of the last two seasons. He’s the team’s third transfer quarterback addition of the offseason, following Billy Edwards and Danny O’Neil.
Here’s more on Simmons’ commitment.
OUT: Wide receiver Quincy Burroughs
Burroughs was one of Wisconsin’s first transfer additions of the Luke Fickell era back in 2023, as he followed the head coach from Cincinnati. The veteran played sparingly during his two years with the program, totaling just five catches, 43 receiving yards and five special teams tackles. He was again projected as a depth option at wide receiver entering 2025, with significant talent and competition ahead of him in the room.
Here is more on Burroughs’ departure.
OUT: Wide receiver Mark Hamper
Hamper joined Wisconsin this winter with significant fanfare. The rising sophomore was a Freshman All-American at the Football Championship Subdivision level in 2024, totaling 48 catches, 966 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Fellow winter transfer wide receiver Jayden Ballard has reportedly been a spring session standout, meaning Hamper was likely to enter the season as a primary depth option. That may have instigated his transfer decision.
UPDATE: Hamper signed with Cal
OUT: Tight end Tanner Koziol
Koziol transferred in this winter after several standout seasons at Ball State, including a 94-catch, 839-yard, 8-touchdown 2024 campaign. He projected to be one of Wisconsin’s top receiving threats as new coordinator Jeff Grimes transitioned the program back to a pro-style offense. After just four months with the program, Koziol is off to a new destination.
Tucker Ashcraft is the next up at tight end. The position should rise near the top of Wisconsin’s transfer pursuits, as Ashcraft has just 20 total catches, 168 yards and two touchdowns over the last two seasons. Due to the lack of a top-end backup option, Koziol was one player Wisconsin couldn’t afford to lose.
UPDATE (April 18): Koziol committed to Houston.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin football 2025 spring transfer portal window departure, commitment tracker
Reporting by Ben Kenney, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
