Just ahead of the offseason transfer portal officially opening, Wisconsin might be zeroing in on a key addition to its secondary - and it’s a name that’s starting to turn heads.
James Madison safety Tyler Brown has announced his intention to enter the transfer portal, and early signs point to Madison as a potential landing spot. Brown, a former three-star prospect out of Archbishop Spalding in Maryland, was part of JMU’s 2024 recruiting class and has quickly developed into one of the more productive safeties in the Sun Belt.
Let’s talk production: 80 tackles, a sack, an interception, and six pass breakups this season alone. That’s not just solid - that’s impact-level play.
Brown was the second-leading tackler for the Dukes in 2025 and consistently showed up in big moments. Case in point: his performance in the Sun Belt title game against Troy, where he racked up seven tackles and a sack in a 31-14 win.
That’s the kind of tape that gets coaches’ attention.
He wraps up his time at JMU with 93 total tackles and 1.5 sacks, but the numbers only tell part of the story. Brown was a steady force on the back end of a defense that punched above its weight all season.
He’s a high-IQ player who reads the field well and rarely finds himself out of position. According to sources, Wisconsin is already eyeing him as a top target - and it’s easy to see why.
Brown’s fit in Madison makes a lot of sense. The Badgers are in need of reinforcements in the secondary, especially after a season where their pass defense gave up over 218 yards per game - one of the lower marks in the Big Ten.
Meanwhile, their run defense was stout, holding opponents to just 105.3 rushing yards per game. That kind of front-seven strength gives defensive backs the freedom to play aggressive, trusting the guys up front to handle business in the trenches.
That’s where Brown could thrive. He’s a physical tackler - in fact, he graded out as the Dukes’ best tackler this season with an 86.6 score - and he’s no slouch in coverage either.
He allowed just one touchdown all year while consistently sticking with receivers through traffic. That combination of coverage savvy and tackling ability could make him a strong candidate for a hybrid safety role in Wisconsin’s system.
There’s still room for growth, especially in run support, but the foundation is there. Brown has already shown he can hold his own against Power Five competition, with experience against teams like Oregon, Louisville, and Washington State. That kind of battle-tested resume isn’t easy to find in the portal.
Adding another layer to the equation: Wisconsin’s coaching staff has already started reshaping the secondary. The program recently brought in Robert Steeples as the new cornerbacks coach.
Steeples comes over after a stint at LSU, where he worked with a talented group that included Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Mekhi Garner. That kind of SEC pedigree could be a draw for a player like Brown, who’s looking to take the next step in his development.
Paul Haynes, formerly the cornerbacks coach, is staying on staff in a new role as secondary coach, while safeties coach Jack Cooper remains in place - at least for now. There have been whispers about potential changes, but nothing official yet.
Bottom line: Tyler Brown has the tools, the tape, and the trajectory to be a difference-maker in Wisconsin’s secondary. If the Badgers can close the deal, they might be getting a plug-and-play starter with two years of eligibility and a ceiling that’s still rising. Keep an eye on this one - it could be a big move for both sides.