Wisconsin’s offense has no shortage of players worth watching as the Badgers head toward the 2026 season, but a few stand out for reasons that go beyond simple production. The roster includes athletes with rare size, unusual movement skills, and physical tools that make you stop and take a second look.
At the top of that list is quarterback Joseph, who brings the kind of dual-threat juice that can change a game in a hurry. His arm talent is viewed as above average, even if accuracy remains a question, but it’s what he does with his legs that really jumps off the page.
Over the last two seasons, he ran for 1,654 yards and 24 touchdowns. Yes, that came in the Sun Belt, and yes, he still has plenty to prove in the Big Ten.
But the explosiveness is real. In the opener against Indiana last fall, Joseph ripped off 179 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a pair of runs of more than 75 yards.
Indiana didn’t allow another opponent to top 117 rushing yards in a game the rest of the season. Joseph is fast, slippery in the pocket and, in the purest sense, one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the country.
As QB1, he matters for what he can do as a passer. He matters even more for what almost nobody else at his position can do.
Then there’s offensive tackle Simmons-Johansson, who may not be in line to start but still qualifies as one of the most interesting linemen on the roster. He’s currently behind Kevin Heywood and PJ Wilkins on the depth chart, yet his profile is hard to ignore.
Jeff Grimes said Simmons-Johansson started spring slowly while learning a new offense, but by the end of camp he was working with the starters and making clear progress over the course of 15 practices. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 308 pounds, he has already added 12 pounds during summer workouts, according to offensive line coach Eric Mateos.
That kind of frame is exactly why there’s optimism around the former top-10 tackle recruit in the country.
The other name that jumps out is tight end Harris, whose blend of size and receiving ability gives Wisconsin something unusual at the position. At 6-foot-7 and 270 pounds, he is the biggest player in the room and possibly the best receiver, too.
Last season at Bowling Green, he caught 19 passes for 182 yards and five touchdowns, with much of his value coming as a redzone target. The tape shows soft hands and some wiggle after the catch, which is not something you usually say about a player that big.
Tight ends coach Nate Letton said Harris is "more blessed with (good hands) probably more than anybody I've been around," and also called him his "fun little toy." That kind of language says plenty about how Wisconsin views the possibilities with Harris.
In Other News...
Tyler Herro Just Reopened Wisconsin's Oldest Recruiting Wound
Tyler Herros latest stop in Milwaukee brought an old Wisconsin recruiting scar back into view. During an NBA Summer League interview in Las Vegas, the former Badgers commit revisited the decision to back away from Wisconsin and head to Kentucky, a move that still sits as one of the programs most frustrating what-ifs. Now with the Bucks after a trade from Miami, Herro was asked about the path that got him here, and the answer only underscored how much his basketball journey has been shaped by choices made years ago.
Herro framed the flip as a business decision, noting that staying with Wisconsin would likely have changed the entire arc of his career and left him in a very different place than the one he occupies now. He also spoke warmly about his relationship with the Heat organization, adding another layer to a story that Badgers fans have never quite stopped revisiting. For Wisconsin, it is a reminder that the recruiting loss was never just about one player leaving the state, but about a door that closed on a version of the future the program still wonders about. [Read more 🡒]
Badgers Fans Already See One Big Test For Shawn Eichorst
Shawn Eichorst is back in Madison, and Wisconsin introduced its new athletic director with the kind of familiarity that usually comes from a second act. He already knows the school from his earlier run there, and since then he has built a rsum that includes AD stops at Miami and Nebraska, plus a recent stint as deputy athletic director and COO at Texas. For a department that wants steadiness at the top while keeping support flowing to both football and basketball, the hire brings experience and a built-in sense of what Wisconsin expects.
The first reaction from fans has been less about the press conference and more about the job ahead, especially with football still under the microscope after three straight disappointing seasons. Wisconsin has put more money into the program this offseason, but it is still chasing the financial level of the Big Tens biggest spenders, which makes Eichorsts next moves matter even more. The early debate is not whether he knows the place. It is whether he can make the Badgers look like a program closing the gap. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce West Could Be The Badgers Answer In The Secondary
Bryce Wests arrival gives Wisconsin a different kind of option in the secondary, one that comes with Big Ten pedigree and some real flexibility. The former Ohio State cornerback has already seen the field in multiple games for the Buckeyes, and after entering the transfer portal he heads to Madison with three years of eligibility left and a chance to become part of the Badgers plans for 2026.
What makes West especially intriguing is how the staff expects to use him. Wisconsin sees enough versatility to move him around and keep him on the field depending on the opponent, which matters for a defense that wants more answers in the back end. If West settles in quickly, he could end up being one of the more important additions to the roster before the season even gets here. [Read more 🡒]