Some made a lasting impact on the Wisconsin Badgers football program, and some barely fit in at all, but a handful of former UW football players are playing the 2025 regular season elsewhere. Here’s a look at the recent departures elsewhere on the map for Division I FCS and FBS programs.
We’ll start with the players who transferred out of the program last year.
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Tanner Koziol, tight end, Houston
Houston Cougars tight end Tanner Koziol (No. 9) passes Arizona State University Sun Devil safety Adrian Wilson (No. 9) for a touchdown on Oct. 25, 2025, at American Hill Stadium in Tempe.
Koziol transferred to Wisconsin from Ball State in December 2024 after three productive seasons at the school, but transferred out in April without having played a game for the Badgers. He caught 65 passes for 651 yards and five touchdowns for the 9-3 Cougars.
Xavier Lucas, defensive back, Miami
Oct 4, 2025; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Duce Robinson catches the ball against Miami Hurricanes cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images
Lucas, who is the subject of legal proceedings between Wisconsin and Miami over his transfer, had one interception and 18 tackles for the Badgers as a backup in 2024. The Hurricanes are 10-2 this season and he has one interception and 23 tackles as a starter. His team has a good chance of making the College Football Playoff.
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Bradin Locke, quarterback, Arizona State
Forced to play against the Badgers in 2023 and 2024 due to injuries to starters, Lock particularly struggled last season, completing 55 percent of his passes for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. This season, as a backup for the Wildcats, who are 9-3, he completed 5 of 15 passes for 68 yards and one interception.
Riley Nowakowski, tight end, Indiana
BLOOMINGTON, IN – NOVEMBER 15: Riley Nowakowski #37 of the Hoosiers scores a touchdown against D’Yoni Hill #5, Matt Jung #29 and Cooper Catalano #44 of the Wisconsin Badgers during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 15, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Castellin/Getty Images)
The Marquette High alumnus had 18 catches in three seasons with the Badgers but had 23 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns with the Hoosiers, a team that’s about to face Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game and will certainly hear its name called when the College Football Playoff kicks off.
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Will Bowling, wide receiver, Notre Dame
As Wisconsin’s top receiver the past two seasons, Bowling caught 74 passes for 837 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 and caught 42 passes for 407 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. He had 26 receptions for 381 yards and six touchdowns this year on a 10-2 Irish team. The program is in prime position to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Tavi Walker, running back, Cincinnati
Walker, a transfer from Oklahoma State, is the Badgers’ leading rusher in 2024 with 890 yards and 10 touchdowns on 190 carries. This season in Cincinnati, he rushed for 709 yards on 120 carries, averaging 5.9 yards and four touchdowns.
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Eli Stein, long snapper, Cincinnati
Stein transferred to Wisconsin from Arkansas in December 2024 but left for Cincinnati in April. He has played in all 12 games this season and has four tackles.
Quincy Burroughs, wide receiver, Western Kentucky
Burroughs originally transferred to the Wisconsin program from Cincinnati, catching five passes in two seasons at Wisconsin. He has eight catches this season.
Mark Hamper, wide receiver, California
Hamper transferred from Idaho State to Wisconsin in December 2024, but like Koziol, he left in April without ever suiting up for a game. He has 17 catches for 202 yards this season.
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Anelu Laefele, edge rusher, Michigan State
Rafael did not play in any games for the Badgers in 2024. He had seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in five games this season before suffering a season-ending foot injury.
CJ Williams, wide receiver, Stanford
Williams caught 31 passes in two seasons at Wisconsin after transferring from USC. The 4-foot-8 Cardinal has 59 catches for 749 yards and six touchdowns this season.
James Thompson Jr., defensive lineman, Illinois
September 13, 2025; Champaign, IL, USA; Fighting Illinois defensive lineman James Thompson Jr. celebrates a 38-0 victory over the Western Michigan Broncos at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Thompson played every game for Wisconsin from 2021 to 2023, including 18 starts, before missing 10 games and a redshirt season in 2024 due to injury. He has 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season.
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Curt Neal, defensive lineman, Illinois
Neal started every game for Wisconsin in 2024 and played in every game in 2023, totaling 42 tackles over two seasons. He has 15 tackles this season.
Leon Lowery Jr., linebacker, Illinois
Lowery, who transferred from Syracuse, played 12 games for Wisconsin in 2024, including 10 starts, and made 29 tackles. This season, he played in 11 games and completed 18 tackles and 2 sacks.
Tyler VanDyke, quarterback, SMU
Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, served as the Badgers’ starting quarterback for the first three games of 2024, but suffered a season-ending knee injury that also ruled him out for this season. He said he expects to play college football next year, his seventh.
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Bradin Moore, defensive back, Toledo
Moore played seven games for the Badgers in 2024. He has six tackles in 12 games this season.
Amar’e Snowden, cornerback, Toledo
Snowden played two games for the Badgers in 2024. He transferred to Toledo to play baseball and football but did not play in any football games this season.
Jonas Duclona, defensive back, South Florida
Duclona played 16 games for the Badgers in 2023 and 2024, mostly on special teams. He led the Bulls to a 9-3 record this season, making 33 tackles and one interception.
Justin Taylor, safety, Wyoming
Taylor played two games for Wisconsin in 2024 after redshirting the previous year. He has 19 tackles and one interception this season.
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Derek Jensen, offensive lineman, Iowa State University
Jensen, an Arrowhead High School alum, has not played in any games this season.
Marbury Metall, quarterback, Sam Houston State University
Metall, a highly touted recruit out of Texas, briefly served as the tailback in three games with Wisconsin last season. After former University of Washington offensive coordinator Phil Longo joined the Bearkats, he completed 36 of 61 passes for 294 yards this season.
Grady O’Neal, wide receiver, Sam Houston State University
O’Neal plays sparingly with the Badgers in 2024. He has 38 catches for 392 yards this season.
Jace Arnold, defensive back, Sam Houston State University
Arnold played in 10 games for Wisconsin in 2024, recording one tackle. He has 22 tackles this season.
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Kamo’i Latu, defensive back, Connecticut
Latour played 11 games for Wisconsin in 2023 but was injured for much of the 2024 season. He has five 14 tackles this season for the Huskies.
James Durand, offensive lineman, Western Illinois
Durand played one game for Wisconsin in 2024. He has started every game this season.
Hank Weber, defensive lineman, Samford
Weber did not play in any games last season. He has 11 tackles in 11 games this season.
Cole Lacru, quarterback, Eastern Illinois
Lacru did not play for the Badgers in 2024 after redshirting in 2023. This season, he played in 11 games and completed 81 of 148 passes for 851 yards, 4 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He also rushed 125 times for 498 yards and seven scores, including 193 yards in the season opener.
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Max Lofy, defensive back, Rice
Lofy appeared in 30 games for the Badgers over three seasons, redshirting one year and missing another due to injury. After transferring to Rice, he learned he had a serious heart condition and retired. He underwent heart surgery in May.
Jay Harper, cornerback, Louisiana-Monroe
Harper redshirts for the Badgers in 2024. He has four tackles in eight games this season.
Notable former Wisconsin transfer last season
Nov 1, 2025; East Hartford, Conn., United States; UConn Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell (1) scores a touchdown against UAB Trail Blazers cornerback Tarik Watson (24) in the second quarter at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Maybe you remember these former Badgers players? They transferred elsewhere before last season, including a player who was among the NCAA leaders in some statistical categories.
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Skyler Bell, wide receiver, Connecticut
Bell played for the University of Wisconsin for two seasons. In 2022, he caught 30 passes for 444 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. In 2023, he caught 38 passes for 296 yards and 1 touchdown. Last season at UConn, he caught 50 passes for 860 yards and five touchdowns. This season, he ranks second in all of Division I in receptions (101), receiving yards (1,276) and receiving touchdowns (13).
Nick Evers, quarterback, Connecticut
Evers, who hails from Oklahoma State and was the first player to announce his commitment through the transfer portal under head coach Luke Fickell, just completed his second year at UConn, completing 10 of 15 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. He has played in three games this season after playing in nine games last year.
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TJ Bollers, defensive lineman, California
Bolles played 15 games for Wisconsin from 2022 to 2023 before transferring in April 2024. This season, he has 40 tackles.
Nolan Ruch, offensive lineman, Penn State
In 2022 and 2023, Ruch played a total of six games as the Badgers’ backup. In 2024, he played in every game, including six starts. He has started every game this season.
Myles Burkett, quarterback, Eastern Kentucky
The Franklin High School graduate played two games for the Badgers in 2022 but did not play in 2023. He transferred to Albany and completed 145 of 265 passes for 1,845 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024. Prior to this season, he moved to Eastern Kentucky, where he completed 139 of 255 passes for 1,473 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 119 yards and 317 yards and four scores.
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Kentez Lewis, wide receiver, Oklahoma State
Lewis transferred from UCLA to Wisconsin ahead of the 2022 season. He had 20 receptions for 313 yards and three touchdowns that year before redshirting in 2023. He transferred to Southern Illinois for the 2024 season and had 49 catches for 813 yards and five touchdowns. He transferred again to Oklahoma State and had 20 catches for 238 yards and two touchdowns this season.
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Wisconsin football transfers will fare at new schools in 2025