Wisconsin football targeting Louisville edge rusher in the transfer portal
The Wisconsin Badgers are set to host a transfer portal edge rusher from Louisville for an official visit this week.
Wisconsin Badgers head football coach Luke Fickell made it clear that addressing his needs on the defensive front through the transfer portal will be a top priority.
“I think one of the things we have to address in recruiting, we have to address in the transfer portal, is we have to get bigger, and we have to get bigger up front of the defensive line,” Fickell said. “That is going to be an incredible emphasis.”
With the transfer portal set to open on Dec. 9, the Badgers coaching staff is wasting no time addressing this need.
BadgerNotes has confirmed with a source that Wisconsin will host Louisville transfer edge rusher Mason Reiger on an official visit as they look to add depth, size, and experience to their pass rush.
The transfer has also been in communication with Indiana, Wake Forest, Ole Miss, and Georgia Tech thus far.
Reiger, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound edge rusher, missed the entire 2024 season due to complications from offseason knee surgery but has a proven track record of production when healthy.
In 2023, despite being limited early in the season, Reiger finished second on the Cardinals defense with 5.0 sacks. He also registered 22 tackles, 22 pressures, 6.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
In 375 snaps during the 2023 campaign, Reiger finished with an 80.1 overall defensive grade per Pro Football Focus, including a 80.8 grade as a pass-rusher, an 80.1 mark as a tackler, and a 70.5 grade as a run defender. His versatility allowed him to effectively split snaps between outside linebacker and the defensive line.
The Hoffman Estates, Illinois, native appeared in 32 games for Louisville's defense across three seasons, recording 49 total tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 8.0 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
Badgers starting outside backer Leon Lowery entered the transfer portal this offseason, and William & Mary transfer John Pius exhausted his eligibility, leaving very few proven options in Mike Mitchell’s outside linebacker room.
Multi-year starter Darryl Peterson is expected to return, Aaron Witt has the option to come back, and Sebastian Cheeks showed some flashes, but the Badgers must still address gaps in both depth and production.
That said, there are several talented young options on the rise, such as Thomas Heiberger, Anelu Lafaele, and incoming freshmen Samuel Lateju and Nicolas Clayton, who could be contributors with enough time to develop.
Reiger's track record, his strength as a run defender, and his knack for getting after quarterbacks align well with Wisconsin's defensive needs as Fickell and his staff focus on retooling the roster for 2025.
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