UT Martin transfer DL Charles Perkins commits to Wisconsin football
The Wisconsin Badgers have landed a commitment from UT Martin defensive lineman Charles Perkins from the transfer portal.
The Wisconsin football program continues to rebuild its defensive front through the transfer portal.
On Monday, the Badgers landed a commitment from UT Martin transfer defensive lineman Charles Perkins.
This is the third defensive line pickup from the portal this offseason as the Badgers work to overhaul a group that struggled mightily against the run in 2024 under position coach E.J. Whitlow.
“Let’s work 🤝,” Perkins wrote in an Instagram post.
Perkins, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound lineman, brings some notable production at the FCS level to Madison. After earning FCS Freshman All-American honors in 2023, including a spot on Phil Steele’s FCS Freshman All-American Second Team, Perkins built on that success with an impressive redshirt sophomore season.
This past season, Perkins recorded 40 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Across 23 appearances over his past two seasons, Perkins has totaled 64 tackles, 13 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, and 29 pressures.
According to Pro Football Focus, Perkins earned a 76.7 overall defensive grade, highlighted by an elite 86.4 mark as a run defender.
Digging deeper into PFF's stable metrics, Perkins finished in the 84th percentile for run defense and posted a run stop percentage in the 86th percentile—making him a strong candidate to help address Wisconsin's glaring issues up front against the run.
“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.”
Perkins’ physicality, athleticism relative to size, and productivity make him an intriguing fit for Wisconsin’s defensive front. His ability to generate pressure on the edge and take on multiple blockers aligns with the aggressive, hard-nosed style the Badgers are striving to reestablish.
Wisconsin has been aggressive this offseason in addressing its defensive line needs, and Perkins joins a revamped group that now includes Corey Walker (Western Michigan) and Parker Petersen (Tulane). The trio represents an influx of competition and depth for a unit looking to rebound after losing key contributors such as Curt Neal and James Thompson Jr. to the transfer portal and Elijah Hills to graduation.
UW’s defensive line room will return Dillan Johnson, Brandon Lane, and Jamel Howard, with redshirt senior Ben Barten having the option to return after playing meaningful snaps this past season.
Wisconsin will also add depth from the 2025 recruiting class, with Torin Pettaway, Drayden Pavey, and Xavier Ukponu joining the program.
The Badgers staff remains active in pursuing additional transfers along the defensive line and is expected to target several players in the secondary this offseason to help bolster a depleted unit. They'll need as much help as they can get to rebound from a 5-7 season.
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