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24 former Wisconsin Badgers begin 2025 season on NFL active rosters

The Wisconsin Badgers have 24 former players on NFL 53-man rosters entering Week 1, plus three players on practice squads and three more on injured reserve.
Lorin Cox|
Nov 12, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) gets sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) as defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) gets a hand on him during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium.
Nov 12, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) gets sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) as defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) gets a hand on him during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers remain well represented in the pros as the NFL begins its season this weekend.

The team hasn't had as many high-profile draft picks in recent years, but the pipeline from Madison is still feeding the professional ranks ever year.

According to the school, Wisconsin has 24 former players on NFL 53-man rosters entering Week 1, plus three players on teams' practice squads and three more who have been placed on injured reserve.

The Pittsburgh Steelers lead the way with four former Badgers: outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig and defensive linemen Keeanu Benton and Isaiahh Loudermilk.

The Indianapolis Colts have three, if you count rookie seventh-round safety Hunter Wohler on injured reserve. The Dolphins only have one active Wisconsin player in fullback Alec Ingold, though tight end Hayden Rucci is on their practice squad and cornerback Jason Maitre is on injured reserve.

The Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Washington Commanders all have two ex-Badgers.

It's no surprise that nine of the 24 active players are offensive linemen (plus a 10th on a practice squad)

Tippmann and Allen are now teammates in the NFL on the New York Jets.
Sep 24, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Despite pressure from Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Joe Tippmann (75), Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. (51) tries to snag Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0). Tippmann and Allen are now teammates in the NFL on the New York Jets. | Doral Chenoweth / USA TODAY NETWORK

Five are defensive linemen or edge rushers, four are off-ball linebackers, three are running backs and the group is rounded out by a quarterback (Russell Wilson), a tight end (Jake Ferguson) and a fullback (Ingold).

Tanner Mordecai nearly gave Wisconsin a second quarterback in the NFL, as he was on the San Francisco 49ers injured reserve, but he reached an injury settlement with the team on Wednesday and was released.

The list does not include former Badgers who finished their college careers with other programs, like quarterback Graham Mertz on the Houston Texans' active roster.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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