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Wisconsin Badgers breakout pass rusher declares for NFL Draft

After a late-season emergence as a pass rusher, the Wisconsin Badgers' sack leader from this season declared for the NFL Draft after boosting his stock.
Lorin Cox|
Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger, left, and Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Darryl Peterson, right, react to sacking Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (not pictured) during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium.
Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger, left, and Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Darryl Peterson, right, react to sacking Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (not pictured) during the second half at Camp Randall Stadium. | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers outside linebacker Darryl Peterson wasn't getting much NFL Draft buzz heading into the 2025 season.

But thanks breakout performances late in the year, he led the team in sacks and looked like an edge rusher who belongs at the next level.

He'll find out just how much progress he made, as he formally declared for the NFL Draft on Friday.

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Peterson has been a starter for the Badgers each of the last three seasons, but he put up a career-high 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss this season, leading Wisconsin in both categories.

He broke out late in the season with 2.5 sacks against Indiana and three sacks against Illinois in back-to-back weeks.

One of those came with his first-career forced fumble, and his career-high three batted passes helped represent a season of more impactful play-making.

At 6-foot-1, 260 pounds, Peterson won't have the freakish size, length or speed that the NFL often covets from its edge rushers.

But his consistent technique and motor will endear him to NFL coaches who appreciate his well-rounded skillset.

Related: How Wisconsin Badgers unlocked dominant late-season pass rushing from Darryl Peterson

He might not have the ceiling of a double-digit sack player in the pros, but he's the kind of savvy player who could have a long career as a rotational player who contributes on special teams.

Peterson also emerged as a more vocal leader as the season went on, helping the team rally to some late-season success after struggling for most of the year.

Whether that's enough to hear his name called on NFL Draft weekend remains to be seen, but he's the kind of player every team should want to bring to training camp.

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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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