Lucas Simmons-Johansson arrives in Madison with the kind of résumé that makes you stop and look twice. A consensus four-star recruit and a top-10 offensive tackle in the country, he signed with Florida State as one of the more coveted linemen in the 2023 class. 247Sports had him even higher, ranking him No. 62 overall in the country.
Now he’s at Wisconsin, trying to turn all that promise into real snaps.
His time at Florida State never really took off on offense. Last season, he logged just 81 snaps, his first meaningful action on that side of the ball, and he still hadn’t cracked the rotation in Tallahassee before making the move to Madison this offseason. At first, the expectation was pretty clear: this looked like a longer-term project.
“There’s one of those ones where you’re talking about potential," head coach Luke Fickell said of Simmons-Johansson in his post-transfer portal presser.
That label fit early in spring ball, too. Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said Simmons-Johansson started slowly as he adjusted to a very different system. But as spring went on, he kept stacking reps and eventually worked in with the starters during the final practices.
Right now, he’s sitting behind projected starting right tackle Kevin Heywood and projected starting left tackle PJ Wilkins. Heywood appears locked in, but Wilkins’ grip on the blindside job is far less certain. Wisconsin would absolutely give Simmons-Johansson the chance to take that spot if he wins the competition in fall camp.
That’s what makes him one of the more fascinating players on the roster heading into camp. The path is there.
It just depends on how much of a real shot he gets and what he does with it. In the best-case version of this story, he becomes one of the surprises of camp and takes the starting left tackle job from Wilkins.
That may not be the most likely outcome, but it’s on the table. New offensive line coach Eric Mateos has already praised him publicly since summer workouts began, and Mateos said Simmons-Johansson has added 12 pounds to his frame since spring practice ended.
If he doesn’t break through, that probably means Wisconsin’s starting tackles are holding up just fine. A season on the sideline would be good news for the Badgers if Heywood and Wilkins both deliver.
But it wouldn’t be the outcome Simmons-Johansson came to Madison for. After spending the last two years as a benchwarmer in Tallahassee, he’s looking for a real opportunity.
The bigger question is how aggressively he pushes for it in camp. Heywood looks like the safer bet to stay on the field. Wilkins is the wild card, since he has plenty of upside but is still learning a new position after never playing tackle at the college level.
If Wilkins slips even a little, Simmons-Johansson could start picking up snaps in short bursts, drive by drive. From there, the picture gets clearer.
At 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, he has the size and the upside Wisconsin clearly likes. The staff believes in the talent.
The only thing left is figuring out how fast he can turn that into production in Madison. However it shakes out, he should see the field at times this fall and play the most snaps of his career.
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Among the players drawing attention were Victory Onuetu, Will Garlock and Eian Elmer, three newcomers who looked comfortable enough to stand out in different ways. For Wisconsin, the encouraging part is not just that the Badgers have new bodies to work with, but that some of them are already flashing the kind of size, activity and versatility Gard needs as he adjusts to the departures from last season and figures out how this group will fit together. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins 2026-27 Hopes May Hinge On One Portal Gamble
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The biggest question is whether the new pieces can replace the scoring punch that left with the exits, especially on the wing, where Wisconsin needs someone to step in quickly and create offense. Elmer arrives from Miami-Ohio with the kind of rsum that suggests he can help right away, and if the Badgers are going to stay on track for 2026-27, this is the kind of portal swing that could end up mattering more than any other move they made. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Just Entered A Recruiting Fight Badgers Fans Know Too Well
The early recruiting chase for Ian Thomas is already turning into the kind of battle Wisconsin fans know can stretch out for a while. The 2028 running back from Tomball, Texas, has piled up nearly two dozen scholarship offers, and Wisconsin was among the first programs to get him on campus when he visited during Buckys Barbecue, giving the Badgers an early foothold in a crowded race.
Oklahoma is now working to set up its own visit, a move that could reshape the pecking order if it comes together. With Thomas drawing attention from multiple major programs this early, Wisconsins task is less about making a first impression and more about turning that initial trip into something lasting before the next wave of contenders gets its chance. [Read more 🡒]