Player Previews: What can TE Ryan Schwendeman Offer at the Big Ten Level?

Over the course of the summer leading up to Big Ten Media Days and fall camp, Badgers On SI will extensively preview Wisconsin football's roster with a write-up for each player expected to be remotely involved in 2026.

We continue the series with an FCS transfer, tight end Ryan Schwendeman.

2025 Stats

15 catches, 191 yards, two touchdowns (FCS Southern Illinois)

Overview

Swendeman's 2025 season doesn't look all that impressive on paper, especially considering it took place at the FBS level. Still, the former pass-catching option for the Salukis reportedly heard from over a dozen Power Four programs in the transfer portal, making this — at least at the time — a pretty notable addition for the Badgers.

However, fast forward to summer workouts, and it's unclear what Schwendeman's role will be. He had a pretty quiet spring camp, not garnering much attention or writing many headlines. In what appears to be his final year of eligibility, Schwendeman finds himself in a crowded tight end room where snaps may be at a premium.

The crowded tight end room in Madison is a blessing and a curse for a player like Schwendeman. He could very feasibly impress in fall camp and earn a solid, borderline starting role on this offense. However, he could also fizzle out into obscurity and see his final college season go to waste.

Best-Case Scenario

Former Southern Illinois Salukis tight end Ryan Schwendeman. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

A best-case scenario for the tight end likely has him playing TE2-level snaps. It's hard to see him becoming the top player in this room, simply because others like Bowling Green transfer Jacoh Harris and redshirt sophomore Grant Stec are bigger bodies for blocking in the trenches and potentially just as skilled receivers.

Still, in a perfect world for Schwendeman, the 6-foot-4, 254-pound tight end really puts on a show during fall camp. His combination of receiving prowess and blocking chops helps him shine above several of the other tight ends in the room, and his experience (four years of college ball already) is evident.

In this scenario, Schwendeman sees the field frequently as the No. 2 tight end in a 12 personnel package, and is sprinkled into plenty of other formations as well. If this happens, it's easy to see him posting career-high numbers as a receiver.

Worst-Case Scenario

Unfortunately for Schwendeman, the worst-case scenario looks more likely to unfold than the best. Although again, this room is wide open and we truly won't have a good gauge on it until deep into fall camp.

If things go sideways for the FCS transfer, it might not even necessarily be his fault. The Badgers have a staple of promising tight ends in the room, all of whom look to possess a little more upside than Schwendeman. Harris is a freak athlete, Stec appears to have taken a big leap ahead of year three and players and coaches alike rave about redshirt freshman Emmett Bork. It's not out of the question to see all three players surpassing Schwendeman for playing time.

If that's what indeed transpires, the tight end would struggle to get on the field at all, and his senior season would be largely wasted away on the bench in Madison.

Prediction

It's difficult to project how TE2 through TE4 is going to shake out in this offense. I'm not so sure the staff has particularly big plans for Schwendeman given how high they clearly are on their home-grown talents Stec and Bork, as well as the other transfer addition Harris.

Schwendeman feels to me like an insurance policy in this room. He's a veteran, capable player, but I feel as though the Badgers might want to focus on getting Stec and Bork up and running in this offense, the former in particular.

Ultimately, I see Schwendeman logging single-digit catches and double-digit yards. He may provide a steady hand and some veteran leadership in coach Nate Letton's room, but in terms of a statistical impact, I don't foresee much on the horizon.

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