Wisconsin Badgers transfer TE Lance Mason looking the part at fall camp

When the Wisconsin football program lost Ball State transfer Tanner Koziol to the portal mid‑spring, it left a hole in the tight end room that couldn’t be ignored. In Jeff Grimes’ new, physical, NFL‑style offense, tight ends aren’t just window dressing — they’re central to the identity he wants to build.

The Badgers needed someone who could block well enough and be a legitimate pass-catching threat when called upon. They turned to the spring portal and landed one of the best available options: Lance Mason.

The 6‑foot‑4, 240‑pound senior from Missouri State brought an impressive résumé to Madison. Last season, Mason led all FCS tight ends with 590 receiving yards on 34 catches, scored six touchdowns, and earned an honorable-mention All-American nod from the Associated Press.

He was as efficient as they come, leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference in yards per reception (17.35) and posting an elite 90.5 receiving grade, according to Pro Football Focus. His blocking was solid in pass protection and serviceable in the run game, with room for growth.

More importantly, Mason wasn’t just another body to fill a roster spot, as is often the case in the spring portal; he was a player Wisconsin's staff coveted. He picked the Badgers over interest from Oklahoma, Cal, and Purdue, knowing Grimes’ system would give him a chance to showcase a more complete skill set. And the Badgers desperately needed the help.

So far? Luke Fickell says he’s been as advertised.

“Lance has done impressive things,” Fickell said during fall camp. “There’s a lot on the plate of these tight ends. What I love about him is what he said he wanted, and the reason why he came here is what he’s showing. And it’s not just making plays, it’s the commitment to doing all the things to play at the next level. That’s what’s impressive.”

Fickell acknowledged it’s one thing for a transfer to have ambitions, but another to fully embrace the demands once they arrive.

“A lot of guys have visions when they walk into a new place… do they really know what they’re going to be asked to do, and are they really going to embrace those things? So far, he’s done a great job. He’s made some plays, he’s shown us some things you didn’t even see on film because he wasn’t asked to do them — with physicality and things like that. I think he’s in a really good place and he’s going to help us a lot.”

That “help” is badly needed. Wisconsin’s tight ends have averaged just 27 catches, 235 yards, and fewer than two touchdowns per season the past two years under Nate Letton. That production barely moves the needle. The hope is that Mason’s ability to win down the seam, create mismatches, and contribute on offense raises the floor of the entire room.

Mason has already shown he’s not just learning the playbook, he’s playing with the type of physicality Fickell and Grimes demand. And in an offense that will feature plenty of 11 and 12 personnel, he’s in a prime position to carve out a significant role alongside returning starter Tucker Ashcraft.

Ashcraft, Mason, and H‑back Jackson Acker are all expected to fill defined roles in 2025, while young options like Grant Stec will also compete to earn snaps. The bigger question is how many targets this room will ultimately command in a passing game still taking shape.

For a player who arrived in Madison this summer needing to play catch-up, Mason is wasting no time proving he belongs. If his early fall‑camp performance is any indication, the Badgers may have found the dependable and versatile tight end they were desperately missing.