How Colton Joseph compares to other recent Wisconsin Badgers transfer portal QBs

The Wisconsin Badgers have landed a transfer portal quarterback in each of the last four winters, giving fans hope for a better offense the following fall.

The last few quarterbacks have been major disappointments, often for reasons outside of their control, but Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph has a chance to be something different.

Billy Edwards, Tyler Van Dyke and Tanner Mordecai had plenty of promise, but all three dealth with injuries, and Mordecai was the only one to play any significant number of regular season snaps.

Goal number one for Joseph will be to stay healthy, but that's impossible to predict.

Sources: Wisconsin has signed quarterback Colton Joseph, the school’s top quarterback portal target. He’s an Old Dominion transfer who threw for 21 TDs this year and ran for 13 more. He threw for 2,624 yards and ran for 1,007. pic.twitter.com/tPAALr7md0
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 4, 2026

Younger QB

The biggest difference he brings right out of the gate is that he has two years of eligibility remaining.

The previous three all came to Wisconsin as seniors in what was supposed to be their final year of playing college football. Edwards and Van Dyke both got additional years of eligibility due to their injuries but chose to continue their careers elsewhere.

Joseph will have the chance to establish something for the Badgers in 2026 and potentially build off of it in 2027 if things go well.

Wisconsin hasn't had the same starting quarterback in back-to-back years since Graham Mertz in 2021 and 2022.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers early transfer portal targets show new approach from Luke Fickell

Similar passers

Joseph comes to Madison with similar passing production as Edwards and Van Dyke but not as much as Mordecai, who had come off of a great season with a No. 1 wide receiver who went off to the NFL.

Joseph threw for 2,629 yards this season with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this year at Old Dominion.

Edwards' last season at Maryland totaled 2,880 yards but only 15 touchdowns to nine picks. At Miami, Van Dyke had fewer yards at 2,699 but 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to show for it.

All three fall short of Mordecai's 2022 season at SMU with 3,268 yards, 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The real advantage Joseph has is with his legs.

Wisconsin finally has a really fun QB in Colton Joseph from ODU.

Absolute dual threat QB. This past season he had 2,624 passing yards & 10TDs. Also added 1,007 rushing yards, 6.4 YPC, & 13TDs.

Can make accurate throws and explosive plays on the ground.
pic.twitter.com/UHnMv04POP
— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) January 4, 2026

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Dynamic rusher

The Old Dominion QB had the fourth-most rushing yards of any quarterback in the country this season at 1,007. His 13 rushing touchdowns tied for 10th most.

For comparison, Badgers running backs this season combined to rush for 1,101 yards and four touchdowns.

Edwards was no statue, but he had only 267 rushing and five touchdowns as a junior at Maryland. Van Dyke was under 100 yards rushing at Miami.

Mordecai's best season as a runner came during his year at Wisconsin, but 372 yards is a number Joseph should suprass before midseason.

Wisconsin has not had a quarterback this explosive under center since Tanner McEvoy in 2014. He would eventually move to safety and wide receiver before going to the NFL.

Joseph has a chance to be something truly different for the Badgers this season that they haven't had from Luke Fickell's other transfer portal quarterbacks.

The key will be how they surround him with talent and operate an offensive scheme tailored to his skillset.

More Wisconsin Badgers News:

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