Luke Fickell Names the Defender Who 'Has to Create Havoc' in 2026

Wisconsin football put in serious work to overhaul its roster this offseason, adding 47 new players between 33 transfers and 14 true freshmen.

With help from substantially more robust funding — Wisconsin reportedly more than doubled its roster budget for 2026 — the team looks to be a lot stronger in many areas.

There's reinforcements everywhere, but the offensive line and defensive backfield look significantly spruced up ahead of a crucial 2026 campaign.

One of the few areas that doesn't appear to have gotten noticeably better this offseason? Outside linebacker.

The Badgers have to replace their top two players at the position, Mason Reiger and Darryl Peterson, who combined for 65 tackles and 11.5 sacks last fall. Peterson was a Badger his entire career, while Reiger was a one-year rental from Louisville. Nonetheless, both felt like senior stalwarts of the program who not only pressured opposing quarterbacks but set the tone each and every snap.

The top returning player at outside backer is Sebastian Cheeks, who was the No. 3 pass-rusher in the room by snap count last fall. He was no slouch himself, notching 24 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks.

#Badgers’ OLB Sebastian Cheeks’ get-off and bend on this sack is absolutely gorgeous — all while fighting through a blatant face mask.

The talent in this room is there. pic.twitter.com/ftpJqskC9o
— Seamus (@seamus_rohrer) July 23, 2026

Now, however, the staff is counting on him to lead the charge off the edge in his fifth-year senior season.

"We're looking for a big year out of Sebastian. He is in a position for us that has to be a disruptor. He has to create havoc for us defensively," Fickell said at Big Ten Media Days.

Cheeks remains under pressure in 2026

This isn't the first time this offseason Wisconsin's staff has publicly placed high expectations on Cheeks for the fall. During spring ball, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel directly compared him to Peterson and asked rhetorically if he can make the same kind of leap heading into his final season of college ball.

"Sebastian has grown incredibly. I think he's a great example of some of the things we've done in our program. I know it doesn't show to everybody. When these guys continue to return understanding where they have grown, what they've been able to do, they recognize the efforts that have been put in to make them who we are," Fickell continued.

Wisconsin linebacker Sebastian Cheeks. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Cheeks certainly has the talent to flourish in the way the staff envisions this fall. Outside backers coach Matt Mitchell said it's between him and rising sophomore Nick Clayton for who has the best get-off of his edge rushers.

"We've been pretty darn good, especially late in the year last year defensively, and Sebastian had a big part of that. He has to have a greater part of that going into this fall here soon," Fickell added.

We knew the outside linebacker room, and the entire defense for that matter, was counting on Cheeks to take a big leap this fall. But it's interesting to hear the coaching staff publicly put so much pressure on him all offseason. Cheeks is undoubtably one of the keys to this unit's success, and there's a lot on his plate in what will be his final year of college ball.

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