Wisconsin Badgers don't miss on their second chance to land tailback Nate Palmer

The Wisconsin Badgers add a third transfer running back to the program with the commitment of former TCU back Nate Palmer.

Sep 20, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) hands the ball off to running back Nate Palmer (21) during the game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the SMU Mustangs | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

MADISON, Wis. - There can never be enough running backs for a University trying to regain the label of "Running Back U."

Having already added Iowa State running back Abu Sama and USC running back Bryan Jackson, Wisconsin dipped into the portal for one more tailback and landed TCU running back Nate Palmer on Thursday.

TCU RB transfer Nate Palmer has committed to Wisconsin, his rep @kdouglasthemen1 of @JLSports3 tells @chris_hummer and @CodyNagel247.

Palmer is former top 40 running back in the 2024 class. He ran for 139 yards and 4.6 yards per carry this season as a redshirt freshman.… pic.twitter.com/klH7iSYt4I

— 247Sports Transfer Portal (@247SportsPortal) January 8, 2026

A native of Decatur, Texas, Palmer stayed close to home to play two seasons for the Horned Frogs, turning down scholarship offers from Miami (FL), Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and others. He played in two games during his redshirt season but had 10 carries for 30 yards in the 34-3 victory over Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl.

HIs role was modestly larger this season. He played in 10 games and rushed for 139 yards on 30 carries. His best performance came in the season opener at North Carolina, rushing for 61 yards on seven carries. However, 121 yards of his yards came in three games, and he didn't record a carry in TCU's overtime Alamo Bowl win over USC.

Palmer took an official visit to South Carolina before committing to the Badgers with three years of eligibility remaining.

The Badgers didn't appear to need a third running back, especially with return sophomore Darrion Dupree and redshirt freshman Gideon Ituka slated to return. However, head coach Luke Fickell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the team is advancing under the premise that Ituka will be unavailable for the entirety of the 2026 campaign.

He didn't provide specifics, but Ituka did not play the final two games of the season after suffering a head injury in a loss at No.2 Indiana.

Wisconsin stands at 23 prospects added in the transfer portal since it opened on January 2.

Wisconsin #Badgers continue to stay active in the transfer portal. Keep up to date with info and stories on all the new transfers here ⬇️ https://t.co/F0Cp64Jxq1

— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) January 7, 2026

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