Billy Edwards Jr's Downfall at UNC is More Proof Wisconsin was Devoid of Talent in 2025

If you're at all familiar with how I view Wisconsin football, you're aware that I try to take a wholistic, intersectional approach when evaluating the Badgers' utter collapse last fall.

Some blame the nightmarish season on injuries. Some blame it on a brutal schedule. Some blame it on coaching. Some blame it on an overall lack of talent up and down the roster.

And again, while I wholeheartedly believe the root of Wisconsin's implosion last season to be a stiff cocktail of all of the above, lack of talent was certainly a major factor.

The Badgers obviously had a handful of studs such as linebackers Mason Reiger, Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano. But they didn't have nearly enough of them, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, particularly at quarterback.

Last season, Wisconsin banked on Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr to come in and right the ship at gunslinger. Coming off a solid but far from spectacular season in his lone year as a starter with the Terps, Edwards wasn't necessarily a ripping hot commodity in the transfer portal.

Still, the Badgers didn't have much of a choice. Operating with a limited budget and not exactly boasting the kind of recent success that lures talented gunslingers to a program, Wisconsin signed Edwards and anointed him the starter; there was no competition for the QB1 gig last season.

The rest, of course, is history: Edwards tweaked his knee in the opener, tried to return against Maryland only to play a few snaps, and was never seen again on the field for Wisconsin. He tossed for all of 113 yards in 2025 for the Badgers.

Edwards' next chapter at North Carolina

UNC football quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Unsurprisngly, the quarterback hit the transfer portal this offseason, landing with Bill Belichick at North Carolina. In Chapel Hill, however, things would be different. Edwards would have to earn the QB1 gig; it wouldn't just be handed to him.

Edwards was still injured in spring ball, which undoubtably hurt his chances at winning the job. But ahead of fall camp, he was reportedly fully healthy.

Now, Edwards has fallen behind in the Tar Heels' quarterback battle, as 247Sports reports that Texas A&M transfer Miles O'Neill is in the lead for the QB1 gig.

Again, there's plenty of extraneous factors at play here. Edwards was still banged up this offseason, and he actually had to compete against a Power Four-caliber quarterback. In Madison last year, his competition was Danny O'Neil (who transferred after an okay debut season at San Diego State) and Hunter Simmons (who transferred from the FCS level).

Regardless, the fact that Edwards is about to lose the job to O'Neill is telling. He's significantly more experienced, having been a full-time Power Four starter while O'Neill has just 20 career passes to his name.

All of this is to say, Edwards is just okay as a quarterback. He's fine. He's clearly not great. That's something that Badger fans likely knew in the back of their mind for quite some time, but his downfall in Chapel Hill only cements it further.

Wisconsin has upgraded its talent at just about every position, and hopefully for the Badgers, it's extremely evident at quarterback.

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