Three Wisconsin transfers landed on The Athletic’s annual College Football “Freaks” list, giving the Badgers a strong showing in Bruce Feldman’s Top 101 rankings.
The highest-rated Badger was Buffalo defensive line transfer Junior Poyser, who checked in at No. 46. Feldman pointed to a profile built on size, power and uncommon movement for a 325-pound lineman.
“The Ontario native made third-team All-MAC last year at Buffalo after recording 31 tackles and 5.5 sacks,” Feldman wrote of Poyser. “At 6-2, 325, Poyser moves surprisingly well.
He ran a 4.55 shuttle time this summer, which would’ve been the fastest among defensive tackles at the 2026 NFL combine. He also vertical jumped 31 inches, broad jumped 9-0 and did 30 reps on the bench with 225, which would’ve tied for second at the combine among DTs.”
That kind of testing fits what Wisconsin has already seen. Poyser was arguably the most impressive player in the defensive tackle room during spring work, and his mix of strength, burst and agility gives the Badgers a lineman who can help against the run while still bringing some twitch off the ball.
A few spots later, Iowa State transfer running back Abu Sama landed at No. 53. Feldman highlighted a track-and-field background that shows up in the open field.
“Sama ran for 732 yards and five touchdowns on 140 carries for Iowa State last season before transferring to Wisconsin. Sama won two state long jump titles in high school in Iowa and is a state record holder (24-10).
The 5-11, 211-pounder has impressed his new teammates with his athleticism. He benched 225 pounds 25 times.
He’s topped 23 mph on the Catapult. He also broad jumped 10-7, ran a 4.44 40-yard dash and was electronically timed at 1.45 seconds in his 10-yard split.”
Sama’s speed has been part of his game for a while. At Iowa State, he rushed for 614 yards and 7.3 yards per carry as a true freshman, and Wisconsin is clearly expecting that burst to play well in its offense. He should pair nicely with Darrion Dupree, who works well in space and is also solid between the tackles.
The third Badger on the list was cornerback Javan Robinson, Wisconsin’s top projected player at the position, who came in at No. 77 after transferring from Arizona State. Feldman also noted that several other Wisconsin defenders drew consideration.
“The Badgers’ defense has a few guys who could’ve also made this list. Stud sophomore linebackers Mason Posa (a 34-inch vertical at 235 pounds) and Cooper Catalano (a 1.53 electronically-timed 10-yard sprint at 232 pounds) and edge Nicolas Clayton (a 10-3 broad jump and 22+ mph on the GPS at 6-5, 245) each gained serious consideration, as did linebacker Jon Jon Kamara (a 10-11 broad jump at 6-4, 242).
“But we’re opting for Poyser and Robinson. At 5-11 1/2, 185 pounds, Robinson, who has added 15 pounds since January, has turned heads with his speed, clocking a 4.32 40, hitting over 23 mph on the GPS and broad jumping 10-11. He did 14 reps on the bench with 225 pounds and also did pull-ups for reps lugging an extra 100 pounds up.”
Robinson’s 4.32 40-yard dash is the headline number here, and it makes him stand out in a cornerback group that also includes Eric Fletcher Jr. Between Robinson, Poyser and Sama, Wisconsin’s transfer class put plenty of athletic juice on display in Feldman’s annual rankings.
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Joe Brunners departure from Wisconsin this offseason fits the kind of move that can linger a little longer than a normal transfer. After a down year for the Badgers, the former Wisconsin offensive lineman landed at Indiana and quickly found a different kind of footing, taking on a more vocal leadership role up front. It is the sort of development that naturally invites a second look back in Madison, especially when a player settles in elsewhere in a way that never quite happened before.
Curt Cignetti has made a point of pushing older transfers to lead, and Brunner appears to have responded to that approach. For Wisconsin, the frustration is in the possibility that a lineman with that profile was available all along, but did not fully embrace that responsibility in his previous stop. In a season where the Badgers are already searching for answers, Brunners new role only sharpens the sense of what might have been. [Read more 🡒]
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Jones rise at LSU adds a little extra intrigue to Wisconsins side of the story, because it puts a spotlight on what the Badgers gave up and what they think they gained in return. The confidence in Madison is that the room now has more options and more stability than it did a year ago, even if one of the names that left is already turning heads in Baton Rouge. For Wisconsin, the larger question is not just how Jones performs out there, but whether the group it rebuilt can answer on the field when the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Mateos Is Setting A Tone Wisconsin Fans Have Been Missing
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For a program that has long built its identity in the trenches, that matters. Mateos is described as obsessive about continuous improvement, and that mindset could be exactly what Wisconsin needs as it tries to get its line playing to a higher bar. The intent is obvious, even if the proof will have to come on the field. [Read more 🡒]