As you were following the College Football Playoff excitement and processing quarterback Mabrey Mettauer’s transfer portal announcement, Luke Fickell was actively working to enhance the team’s defense for 2025.
Fickell and his coaching team have been putting in extra effort to include transfer prospects, with a new name joining the list on Saturday evening. That would be Michael Garner from Grambling State, who declared for the Badgers. Garner is the fifth identified defensive line commitment for Fickell and Wisconsin through the portal.
Grambling State defensive lineman Michael Garner pledged to Wisconsin on Saturday.
Events progressed rapidly for Garner and Wisconsin. Earlier in the week, he made an official visit to Madison, and soon after returning, he received an offer from Fickell to be part of the program. After returning home and reflecting for a while, he ended his recruitment and will be committing to UW.
In the recent season for Grambling State, the 6-6, 280-pound player recorded two sacks, 11 tackles, and one forced fumble. Garner received offers from Colorado, UAB, Coastal Carolina, and several others during his recruitment this month. Nonetheless, Fickell and the Badgers managed to prevail. Garner also made an official trip to Boulder to meet with Deion Sanders and his team.
Garner teams up with Corey Walker, Parker Petersen, Charles Perkins, and Mason Reiger as the DL transfers set to contribute for Mike Tressel in the upcoming season. Overall, Wisconsin has brought in 14 players from the portal, which is quite remarkable.
Supporters anticipated this outcome, nonetheless, after the 5-7 season in ’24. Although Wisconsin declined the chance to compete in the Independence Bowl, it doesn’t change the reality that the Badgers were tough to watch this autumn. Fickell is prepared for his new players to have a significant impact when Week 1 arrives next year, with Garner anticipated to contribute to the defense for this team.
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