Colton Joseph’s first season at Wisconsin is still ahead of him, but Sports Illustrated already has a read on where he fits among the nation’s top quarterbacks.
With most Power 4 quarterback jobs settled heading into the 2026 college football season, SI ranked the 68 starters in the group based on both past production and what they could bring next fall. Joseph came in at No. 49, landing just behind Vanderbilt true freshman Jared Curtis.
That slot reflects the appeal of what Wisconsin is getting from the Old Dominion transfer. Joseph was one of the Sun Belt’s most productive players last season, piling up 2,624 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
His biggest damage, though, came on the ground. He cleared 1,000 rushing yards and finished with double-digit rushing touchdowns, including a Week 1 explosion against future national champion Indiana in which he ran for 179 yards and three scores.
SI’s Zach Koons pointed to both the upside and the uncertainty that come with Joseph moving into the Big Ten.
“The Badgers’ offense has labored for three years under Luke Fickell, plummeting to 133rd out of 134 FBS teams in points per game last season (12.8), ahead of only 0-12 UMass,” SI’s Zach Koons wrote. “To land a dual threat like Joseph is a huge win, if not an indication that Fickell is down to his last strike in Madison.
“The production is difficult to argue with: Joseph was eighth last season in total yards per game (302.6) and second in yards per completion (15.2), complementing an efficient throwing year with 1,007 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. But he was also bolstered by a strong defense, which allowed for more freedom in the Sun Belt-wiggle room that he may not have when playing in the Big Ten.”
Joseph’s ranking also put him in a specific spot within the conference pecking order. SI listed him as the No. 13 quarterback in the Big Ten, ahead of Iowa’s Jeremy Hecklinski at No.
67, Purdue’s Ryan Browne at No. 66, Rutgers’s Dylan Lonergan at No.
65, Michigan State’s Alessio Milivojevic at No. 62 and Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles at No. 51.
A few Big Ten quarterbacks checked in ahead of him, including Maryland’s Malik Washington at No. 45, Minnesota’s Drake Lindsey at No.
39, Illinois’s Katin Houser at No. 37 and Nebraska’s Anthony Colandrea at No. 27.
Wisconsin had another familiar name on the list as well. Former Badgers quarterback Billy Edwards, now at North Carolina, landed at No. 61.
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