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USA Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Which NFL teams have the most former Wisconsin Badgers?
Which NFL teams have the most former Wisconsin Badgers? The 2025 NFL draft and free agency have concluded. The league's 32 teams are now holding their rookie minicamps in advance of OTAs and further offseason activity in June and July. As things currently stand, there are 35 former Wisconsin Badgers on NFL rosters. That total is just direct Wisconsin products and does not include former transfers, such as quarterback Graham Mertz (Houston Texans, via Florida), wide receiver Chimere Dike (Tennessee Titans, via Florida) and Jordan Turner (Denver Broncos, via Michigan State). The number likely won't stand for long, as several players signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents or as rookie minicamp tryouts. Just 27 of those 35 former Badgers enter their respective offseason programs with a roster spot somewhat guaranteed. Of course, even that total can shrink when rosters are finalized in August. As of May 19, there are 10 NFL teams with more than one Wisconsin product on their offseason roster. Another 11 have just one, including the Atlanta Falcons (Jack Nelson), Buffalo Bills (David Edwards), Houston Texans (Dare Ogunbowale), Denver Broncos (Matt Henningsen), Kansas City Chiefs (Leo Chenal), Philadelphia Eagles (Zack Baun) and San Francisco 49ers (Tanner Mordecai). Here are the 10 teams with two or more former Badgers, ranked in ascending order. What NFL teams have the most former Wisconsin Badgers on their offseason roster after the draft? No. 4 (tied): Washington Commanders Center Tyler Biadasz Offensive lineman Michael Deiter No. 4 (tied): New York Giants Quarterback Russell Wilson Cornerback R.J. Delancy No. 4 (tied): New York Jets Running back Braelon Allen Center Joe Tippmann No. 4 (tied): Minnesota Vikings Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel Offensive lineman Joe Huber No. 4 (tied): Los Angeles Rams Wide receiver Quintez Cephus Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein No. 4 (tied): Dallas Cowboys Tight end Jake Ferguson Linebacker Jack Sanborn No. 4 (tied): Cincinnati Bengals Wide receiver Kendric Pryor Linebacker Maema Njongmeta No. 2 (tied): Miami Dolphins Fullback Alec Ingold Tight end Hayden Rucci Cornerback Jason Maitre No. 2 (tied): Indianapolis Colts Running back Jonathan Taylor Offensive lineman Tanor Bortolini Safety Hunter Wohler Outside linebacker T.J. Watt Defensive tackle Keeanu Benton Outside linebacker Nick Herbig Defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Texans agree to terms on new rookie deal with Florida QB Graham Mertz
Texans agree to terms on new rookie deal with Florida QB Graham Mertz Will Graham Mertz be cleared to play in 2025? That remains a question, but at least he'll be under contract with the Houston Texans. According to KRPC 2 Sports' Aaron Wilson, the Florida rookie quarterback and Houston have agreed to terms on a four-year deal, keeping him in the AFC South through 2026. A sixth-round pick, Mertz will earn $4.93 million on his deal that included a $228,484 signing bonus. A former four-star talent from Kansas, Mertz began his college career at Wisconsin and later transferred to Florida. He impressed in 2023, leading the SEC in completion percentage while throwing for 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns against three interceptions. Mertz was expected to start all of the 2024 season, but a torn ACL limited him to just six games. He put together a 76.6 percent completion percentage while throwing for 791 yards and six touchdowns, against just two interceptions, before being sidelined for the rest of the year. During his final season with the Badgers, he passed for 2,136 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The Texans return to the practice fields for rookie minicamp starting Friday.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Texans updated depth chart following 2025 NFL Draft
Welcome to the madness, newbies. Nine new players enter the fold for the Houston Texans following draft weekend with the intent of helping the AFC South winners improve. There's four new offensive weapons, a new trench player on both sides and two members of the secondary all ready to take the next steps forward in their careers. Advertisement The top three picks should have an immediate impact on the squad. Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel were two of the top targets and likely will serve as the No. 2 and No. 4 weapons for C.J. Stroud. Then there's second-round pick Aireronte Ersery, who likely won't be the Week 1 starting left tackle, but the expectation is for him to take over long-term in place of five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil Cam Robinson, who inked a one-year, $12 million deal earlier this week, is expected to start in place of Tunsi, who was traded in a blockbuster move with the Washington Commanders built around four future draft picks. Robinson isn't guaranteed to be the long-term answer for the Texans as C.J. Stroud's new blindside protector. He allowed seven sacks and gave up the sixth-most pressures among offensive tackles during his 11 games with the Vikings. At wide receiver, there's talent outside of Nico Collins, but everyone besides Christian Kirk is on thin ice of making the roster. The same goes for the tight end room with the arrival of Iowa's Luke Lachey. The draft is officially in the books, so here's an updated look at the team's (projected) depth chart after the arrival of nine new picks. Advertisement Note: Undrafted free agents and future deal players will not be mentioned. * - denotes rookie Quarterback (3) Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) slides during a play while being pursued by Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) uring the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the first half. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] QB1: C.J. Stroud QB2: Davis Mills QB3: Graham Mertz* Mills returns as Stroud's backup, but it seems like Houston has another long-term plan in motion just in case the former third-rounder walks in free agency. Mertz, who led the SEC in completion percentage during the 2023 season at Florida, likely won't be cleared to play until 2026, giving him time to learn the playbook under new offensive coordinator Nick Caley. Running back (5) Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images RB1: Joe Mixon RB2: Dameon Pierce RB3: Woody Marks* RB3: Dare Ogunbowale RB4: J.J. Taylor It's the Mixon show for another year, but Marks might have a bigger role than most Day 3 picks. He's a receiving threat that shines when asked to win in the flats on third down. That might make him the new No. 2 back, especially with Pierce, Taylor and Ogunbowale all becoming free agents after the season. Fullback (1) Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders fullback Jakob Johnson (45) runs onto the field against the Kansas City Chiefs prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports FB1: Jakob Johnson Advertisement Johnson has special teams experience and a previous relationship with Caley. There is a legit chance for him to make the final 53-man roster. Wide receiver (10) Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) reacts after making a catch against North Dakota on Aug. 31, 2024, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. WR1: Nico Collins WR2: Christian Kirk WR3: Jayden Higgins* WR4: Jaylin Noel* WR5: John Metchie III WR6: Justin Watson WR7: Xavier Hutchinson WR8: Jared Wayne ST: Braxton Berrios Injured Reserve: Tank Dell With Dell missing most of the season, Houston added two weapons to win in both the slot and on the outside. Given that Higgins and Noel played together in Ames, the transition of working together in the pros should come easily. Tight end (4) Aug 31, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Luke Lachey (85) looks for yards after catch against the Illinois State Redbirds during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports TE1: Dalton Schultz TE2: Brevin Jordan TE3: Cade Stover TE4: Luke Lachey* There's a chance for Jordan and Stover to pass up Schultz after a down season, but all three should be on the active roster. Lachey likely takes over as a blocking option with red zone upside, but he'll need a great training camp to ensure there's a spot for him in the 53. Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings tackle Cam Robinson (74) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Offensive Line (10) LT: Tytus Howard , Aireontae Ersery* Trent Brown LG: Laken Tomlinson , Nick Broeker C: Jarrett Patterson , Juice Scruggs, Jake Andrews RG: Tytus Howard , Ed Ingram RT: Blake Fisher, Zach Thomas Advertisement Robinson might be the best fit for left tackle entering the draft, but Houston's selection of Ersery signals he's the long-term starter after 2025. The bigger question at this point is whether former second-round pick Blake Fisher is ready to transition into a full-time starter, thus allowing Howard to shift inside for good. Defensive line (13) Dec 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) runs onto the field before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images DE: Will Anderson Jr. , Darrell Taylor, Dylan Horton, Casey Toolhill DT: Sheldon Rankins , Mario Edwards Jr., Kyvontae Hamilton* DT: Tim Settle, Kurt Hinish, Tommy Togiai DE: Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, Solomon Byrd Houston is set on the edge for years to come with nine different options, including three backups who could start for most teams. Hamilton should compete with Hinish and Togiai for second-team reps through camp as a late-round gem. Linebacker (7) Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) scrambles from Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) in the second quarter in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images LB1: Azeez Al-Shaair , Jamal Hill LB2: Christian Harris , Henry To'oTo'o LB3: E.J. Speed ST: Nick Niemann, Jake Hansen Linebacker was a need going into the draft since Harris enters a contract season, but the Texans added E.J. Speed in early April. He'll compete with To'oTo'o and Harris for subpackage reps in DeMeco Ryans' defense. Everything else should remain the same. Cornerback (8) Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback Jaylin Smith (2) intercepts a pass intended for Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Isaiah Neyor (18) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images CB1: Derek Stingley Jr. CB2: Kamari Lassiter Slot: Jalen Pitre CB4: Ronald Darby ST: Tremon Smith Depth: Jaylin Smith * Junior Gregory, D'Angelo Ross Advertisement Smith is expected to see action in the nickel and on special teams. It's interesting to see Houston move up in Day 2 for the former Trojan to compete for starting reps after paying a new three-year deal to Pitre literally less than two weeks before the draft. All three starters aren't going anywhere. Safety (6) S1: C.J. Gardner-Johnson S2: Calen Bullock Dime: Jimmie Ward S4: Jaylen Reed* ST: M.J. Stewart Depth: Russ Yeast Landing a talent in Gardner-Johnson to shore up the back end of the defense could be a game-changer in the playoffs. He's exactly the type of player that was missing once Pitre went out with a chest injury. The Texans also might have landed his replacement in the fifth round with Reed out of Penn State. If you watch his tape, it like seeing a more undefined CJGJ option. Oct 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans place kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn (15) concentrates before making a 59 yard field goal against the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Special teams (3) K: Ka'imi Fairbairn P: Tommy Townsend LS: Tucker Addington Advertisement For the first time in 15 years, someone else than Jon Weeks will be snapping a football. It still remains the end of an era. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Houston Texans: Updated depth chart following 2025 NFL Draft
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tracking former Wisconsin Badgers selected during the 2025 NFL draft or signed as UDFAs
Tracking former Wisconsin Badgers selected during the 2025 NFL draft or signed as UDFAs The Wisconsin Badgers had a disappointing 2025 NFL draft weekend. For the first time since 1990, the program waited past the fifth round to see its first player selected, which became Jack Nelson in the seventh round (No. 218 overall) to the Atlanta Falcons. The only other time the program has even waited until the fifth round for its first player to come off the board was 2021, when defensive tackle Isaiahh Loudermilk went No. 156 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That 2021 draft cycle was unique, however, as it directly followed the COVID-shortened 2020 season, when every player got an extra year of eligibility. Not only was the scouting process a challenge that year, but many NFL-level players returned to school for at least the 2021 season. Wisconsin's disappointing 2025 draft output follows a 5-7 finish to the 2024 season, the program's first bowl-less campaign since 2001. While many factors are at play, including roster turnover from the Paul Chryst to Luke Fickell era, it's hard to ignore that output as a byproduct of a down year on the field. Even more notable, several former Wisconsin transfers went off the board before the seventh round, including quarterback Graham Mertz. With the draft cycle now complete and most NFL teams finished with their undrafted free agent signings, here is a full recap of every former Badger to join a pro team this weekend: Tracking Wisconsin products selected during 2025 NFL draft or signed as undrafted free agent Drafted: Wide receiver Chimere Dike (via Florida): 4th round, No. 103 overall to the Tennessee Titans Quarterback Graham Mertz (via Florida): 6th round, No. 197 overall to the Houston Texans Offensive tackle Jack Nelson: 7th round, No. 218 overall to the Atlanta Falcons Safety Hunter Wohler: 7th round, No. 232 overall to the Indianapolis Colts Signed as undrafted free agent: Rookie minicamp invites: Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL fans react to Texans drafting Florida's Graham Mertz over Texas' Quinn Ewers
The Houston Texans might have needed a backup quarterback since Davis Mills is entering a contract season. That doesn't mean the back-to-back AFC South champions should have drafted a gunslinger ahead of a pass protector, regardless of if he plays in 2025 or not. Advertisement Instead of waiting until the seventh round, general manager Nick Caserio traded up into the sixth round to select Florida quarterback Graham Mertz with the 197th overall pick. Mertz should compete for the No. 3 job and eventually move up the pecking order to No. 2 if Mills walks in free agency. A former four-star talent at Wisconsin, Mertz transferred to Florida and impressed in 2023. He put together a very productive first season with the Gators, throwing for 2,903 yards and 20 touchdowns, against three interceptions. Mertz was expected to start all of the 2024 season, but a torn ACL limited him to just six games. He put together a 76.6 percent completion percentage while throwing for 791 yards and six touchdowns, against just two interceptions, before being sidelined for the rest of the year. Fans aren't too concerned about when they will see Mertz suit up this season. The hope is never in a real game since that would mean something happened to C.J. Stroud. Perhaps something will since the Texans aren't keen in adding more help to the offensive line outside of Aireontae Ersery in the second round. Advertisement And yes, fans let their frustrations be heard over social media. At least they might have been able to understand a Quinn Ewers coming to town over a fifth-year veteran who's suffered two season-ending injuries. How social media reacted to the Texans selecting Florida QB Graham Mertz RB at No. 197: This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL fans react to Texans drafting Graham Mertz over Texas' Quinn Ewers
