Wisconsin may not have flooded the preseason award lists, but three Badgers did manage to break through, and together they landed on five different national watch lists and nomination lists.
Mason Posa is the big defensive name to know. The sophomore linebacker showed up on the Butkus Award preseason watch list, which goes to the best linebacker in college football, and he also made the Bednarik Award preseason watch list for the top defensive player in the country. That’s a strong showing for a player who was a sensation last year as a true freshman.
The Butkus Award last season went to Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez, who piled up 128 tackles, seven forced fumbles, four interceptions, and one sack. Rodriguez also won the Bednarik Award, so Posa is chasing the same player on both fronts.
On offense, Colton Joseph earned a spot on the Manning Award preseason watch list, which is reserved for the top 40 quarterbacks in the nation. That alone says plenty about how the committee views him heading into the season.
The last Wisconsin quarterback to even be a finalist for the award was Russell Wilson in 2011. Fernando Mendoza won the award in 2025.
Chris Brooks Jr. landed on two lists tied to work beyond the field. He was named as a nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy, which honors FBS players who lead through community service while excelling in the classroom and on the field.
That list includes 113 nominees, with one winner to be chosen in 2026. Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe won the trophy in 2025.
Brooks Jr. was also a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team, an award that recognizes a group of 22 players for what they do away from football. The Good Works Team uses the same list and committee as the Wuerffel Trophy process.
In Other News...
Luke Fickell Has Wisconsin Looking Like Wisconsin Again
The Badgers have spent enough recent seasons trying to modernize in different ways, but Luke Fickells latest roster build is starting to look a lot more familiar in Madison. Wisconsin now checks in with the heaviest roster in college football by average weight, a sign that the emphasis has shifted back toward the kind of size and physicality that long defined the program.
A big part of that change has come in the trenches, where Fickell has pushed to add bulk to both the interior defensive line and the offensive line, with most of those players now over 300 pounds. For a fan base that has long associated Wisconsin football with winning up front, the composition of this team feels like more than just a roster note. It is a clear nod to the programs old identity, and a reminder of the style the Badgers may be trying to reclaim. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Suddenly Has A Week 1 Receiver Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Jaylon Domingeaux had already been part of the early conversation at receiver for Wisconsin, but a recent team photo added an unexpected layer to his status heading toward the 2026 season. The transfer wideout was seen wearing a cast on his hand, a detail that immediately shifted attention to his availability and whether the Badgers may have to open the year without one of their more intriguing additions.
The program has not offered any public explanation for the injury, so the scope remains unclear for now, and the practice picture suggests others have been picking up more reps while Domingeaux is sidelined. For a Wisconsin offense still sorting out its pass-catching depth, any issue with a player expected to be in that mix is worth watching closely as Week 1 approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Lance Mason Just Got Caught In A Brutal Big Ten Fight
The Big Tens latest eligibility ruling landed hard for players trying to navigate the fuzzy line between college football and the pros, and Wisconsins Lance Mason is one of the names now caught in the middle. The conference voted to bar players who have already gone professional from returning to play at Big Ten schools, closing off a possible path for veterans who might have hoped for one more shot back in college.
For Mason, the timing makes the issue even more notable. He had no remaining eligibility when he left for the NFL, and after being cut by the Seahawks, he was recently claimed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, underscoring how quickly a pro career can shift. The new Big Ten stance leaves players like Mason with fewer fallback options if the professional route keeps changing on them. [Read more 🡒]